To Muse on Parenthood
by Singer of Time
Summary: Aang and a pregnant Katara get into a discussion on what kind of parents they'll be.  Short, sweet, fluffy little piece sprung from a random funny idea.  A continuing collection of related one-shots, with lots of humor and romance.
1. Discipline

((AN: Yah, never thought I'd write an Avatar fanfic...I usually shy away from fanfics about my favorite shows. But I've had Avatar on the brain for ages now, especially on the Kataang side, and I had this cute little idea for a very short story bouncing around my head. Aang and Katara discussing parenthood is just so fluffily cute and amusing to me. So, here's probably a small tribute to what's possibly my favorite canon pairing of all time. x3 Aang and Katara are aged 20 and 22, respectively. ))

* * *

It was a rather warm late-summer evening in a temple nestled high in the mountains. The clouds surrounded sanctuary on the peaks and made the illusion of a house on an ocean of white. It was the Southern Air Temple…once a home for the monks that made up a population of the Air Nomads…now home to only one of them. But, with years of dedication behind the work of him and his friends, it was beginning to look like a paradise again. Plants and trees grew where weeds once dotted the cliffs. Water flowed continuously through fountains. The soot and dust were cleaned and bodies entombed in proper places, so that little proof existed of the Air Nomads' destruction at the hands of the Fire Nation over a hundred years ago. It was a place of hope again, and the wind was heavily-scented with flowering blooms and budding fruits.

It was also where two individuals sat together, staring out into the sunset and enjoying the comforting peace and quiet settled between them. A cool gust of wind managed to stifle the heat and keep it at an agreeable temperature that was ideal for a few moments of laziness.

And these two certainly never took laziness for granted. One person was the Avatar; the master of the four elements, a vessel for the spirit of the earth, the most powerful being to exist among mortals without a questionable doubt…and the other person was his 7-months pregnant wife, a brilliant warrior in her own right and a master Waterbender. And the only person in the world that the Avatar knew held a higher place of honor compared to him. Both had helped to save the world along with their friends and family. And now, between Avatar duties and continued trips to keep the world in balance, they relished whatever rare moments allowed them to just be together.

The two, Aang and Katara, had just finished eating and were taking that deserved moment of peace. They sat high up in one of the temple rooms on a stone windowsill while the sun penetrated the horizon and took its life-giving light with it for another night. The Water Tribe-born woman lay with her back on the Airbender's chest as his back was to the wall of the window edge, his legs keeping her steady on either side of her body. His hands were over hers on her swollen belly, but every so often his palm would settle on another spot to see if he could feel the baby moving. With her head on his shoulder and his cheek nestled in her hair, the two had tired and eternally blissful smiles. After all they had been through in their lives so far, Aang didn't think he could feel any happier.

Sure enough, the tiny bundle of life moved within Katara's womb again…and with the quickness, she winced slightly against her husband. "Okay, know what…I think we might _definitely_ have a future Airbender here," she hummed, running her hands over one portion of her belly.

"Oh?" Aang inquired with incredulity to his voice, also rubbing on the spot. He chuckled. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, I know from watching you train that Airbending requires a lot more footwork than Waterbending," she pointed out. "And the baby can already reallyOOF…" she winced again as something felt like it impacted the bottom of her stomach. "…Kick."

Aang let out a playful laugh and lightly pressed his fingers down on her abdomen. "Quit giving your mom trouble, little guy."

The Waterbender couldn't help but laugh as well. A while ago, when they were musing on the baby's gender, Toph had sworn that she could see through her Earthbending vision that it was going to be a boy…but really, who knew if she was kidding? Though they knew it wouldn't truly be certain until the child was born, they'd gotten used to calling it a "he". It sounded better than simply referring to him as "it" the whole time.

Smiling, Aang wrapped his arms around Katara and helped her comfortably sit up more against his front, taking care not to tangle her sleeves. She was wearing a rather Air Nomad-like outfit—a loose-fitting gold and orange robe—which she had preferred to wear for comfort during her pregnancy. He thought the colors looked rather beautiful on her, but then again, she could wear _anything_ and be beautiful to him.

"Airbender, Waterbender, whatever…he's our child and hopefully he'll be healthy. That's what I care about," he said with finality.

"Same here," Katara agreed. Her voice was low and soft, showing him that she always found the utmost comfort in his touch. "We'll teach and train him well, and he'll grow up..."

"With the best parents in the world behind him," Aang grinned, nuzzling the top of her head. "Then _he'll_ have children while we grow old together."

Katara snickered. "_I'll_ grow old. _You'll_ just grow wise."

"What, I'm not wise already?" he feigned hurt, eliciting a giggle from his wife. "I'm the Avatar; I'm _born_ wise."

"You're a wise _something_," Katara muttered, amused by his snort of reply. Sighing, she settled against him again. "I like to think that when we're old, we'll still be the same…and still in love, like that fishing couple we met a long time ago. Except, not as crotchety."

She felt Aang shrug. "I can _act_ crotchety."

"_You?_" She tilted her head to glance at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Mister free spirit?"

"I'm a good actor, remember?" the monk laughed, and put on his best 'old-man' voice that reminded her of the first time he disguised himself to enter Omashu. "You whippersnappers git off m' temple! Y'ain't too old for me to paddle yer backside!" His right eye twitched to only exaggerate the act.

Katara's sides ached with her laughter, and the baby kicked again, as if amused too. "Nah, you can't pull off a crotchety old man," she said once she found her voice.

Aang slumped a little, his arms returning to their place around her. "I guess not. Wouldn't want to, anyway…if the temple were filled with kids playing on the steps again, it would be perfect."

She hummed in agreement, her gaze returning to the smooth roundness of her stomach. The baby seemed to have finally settled down a little for which she gave a relieved sigh. But in light of the conversation, Katara's lip curled in thought. "Your 'paddle your backside' line…I'm suddenly curious. About how we'll be as parents…if we have to be pretty disciplinary to keep him out of trouble."

Aang blinked. "Disciplinary? I don't think so…he might be pretty well-behaved. I don't like the thought of having to yell at him...and I refuse to strike my child, no matter what."

"Yeah, definitely," she agreed with a sigh. "But we will have to teach him right from wrong, just like _we_ were taught." She glanced up to the Airbender. "When you were a little kid and got in trouble, what'd the monks do to get you to behave?"

"Me?" he asked skeptically, but he always knew a serious question from her when he saw it in her eyes. He rolled his own gaze upward in thought, the back of his arrow-clad head touching the wall behind him. "I never got in that much trouble…and neither did the other kids, really. The Air Nomads were taught our traditions and beliefs at a young age…peace, acceptance, love toward everyone and everything. But we were also raised as free spirits…kids played games, sometimes tried to ditch lessons, and they'd only be coaxed back with utmost patience. We played pranks, but never hurt each other. And if we made mistakes, we learned from them…that was the most important, was what we figured out for ourselves."

His head came forward again, missing its soft place among her hair. "Sometimes though, a kid would get a stern talking to or a raised voice from one of the elders if something got out of hand. Or sent to spent time meditating by themselves for a while." He snickered. "I remember one time…man, we must have been around five…we had a class to attend with the nuns at the Western Air Temple. My friend Jinju was nodding off, and eventually his forehead hit the desk. Bam…out like a light."

Katara snorted laughter, and he continued with a humorous smirk. "So then the Sister comes up with a ruler in her hand and shushes everyone. And she just…_slaps_ it on the desk in front of his head." He loudly clapped his hands together for emphasis (and an Airbender could _really_ cause loud sound waves when he needed to). "Scared us all out of our skin, but mostly him. And after that, he was attentive for the rest of the class…of course, Jinju was always two plums short of a fruit pie…guy never bathed either…" He grimaced, and then laughed. "So, sometimes the elders would have creative ways to get us to behave, but nothing bad. All in all…discipline wasn't a problem. And I certainly wasn't."

"A little unbelievable considering you, but I'll take it," his wife smiled. "It must've been a pretty nice life."

Aang blushed, pressing closer to her back. "So, you asked me, now it's my turn. What'd _your_ parents do?"

"Mmm…" she mused, her head resting back against his shoulder. "I don't remember much before my mom died, to be honest…"

Her voice took on a small, sad tone. Aang felt regretful for bringing it up, but he listened as she continued all the same. "What I do remember, other than always constantly fearing the Fire Nation raids...we were a pretty normal and happy family. I never got in much trouble either. I did my chores, helped out...just did what was expected of me. Heh…games with Sokka would probably get a little rough, or we'd argue…but all it took was a stern look from Mom, Dad, or Gran-Gran, and we'd be separated for a while before one of us apologized."

She let out a small laugh. "Sokka got in more trouble than I did, really. Before he became all serious and warrior-like, he was just a big kid. One time he was trying to sneak around Gran-Gran while she was cooking, to snag a piece of seal jerky. Before he could get within an inch, she slapped the back of his hand with a spoon and shooed him off. That happened _three_ times before he got the message and waited until dinner…but he was pouting the whole time and rubbing his fingers like they were broken."

Aang snickered at the image. "Yeah; _Sokka_ I can imagine being trouble. You? Never."

"Oh, I can have my moments," Katara murmured, nudging him playfully. "But yeah…our parents never had to hit us either. I think they hated the idea. Every family has their own way of doing things."

"To each their own," Aang quoted, nodding in solemn agreement. "What I really think, Katara…is that we should just do what comes naturally to us." Both of his palms thoughtfully caressed her belly. "I know you'll be a wonderful mother; you have a good heart, you're kind…and you love children. You'll also be protective and stern when you want. And you'll also heal them when they're hurt or sick or sad. I know it, because, well…that's who you are."

The Waterbender looked at him with a skeptical expression, but her reddening cheeks betrayed the fact that she was more than grateful for the words. "You know because that's how I treated all of _you _during our journeys."

"I know you were insulted about that before," he grinned apologetically, "but you're a mothering person in all the good ways. And that's how I know you'll be a perfect mother for our son."

"Or daughter," she corrected. "We don't know exactly."

"Or daughter," he repeated, nodding. "Still, I like to trust Toph's judgment. She does see things in a way we can't."

Katara laughed in agreement and turned her head up to look at him again. Though he had well matured physically from the twelve-year-old that she'd first met in the iceberg, she loved the fact that he still kept those expressive child-like eyes and gentle smile. "And, just the same, I know you'll make a good father. You always loved children too, and knew exactly how to get them to both respect and love you back. You're playful and a good teacher…and you get that respect without having to assert yourself. Much," she added with a playful smirk. "That's the Avatar part of you."

He grinned again. "I think I'll probably just be the dad that spoils the kid, and you'll be the mom that nobody wants to get angry."

She snorted and lightly reached up to smack him on the shoulder. "Goof."

"Guilty as charged," he replied with truthful humor in his voice and took her hand, squeezing it. "But…I'm glad you have faith in me, Katara."

"I always did," she answered, smiling and leaning up to his face. "Thanks for _your_ faith in me."

"No thanks necessary," he whispered, tilting her chin back to place a lingering kiss on her lips that caused her to hum in little waves of contented pleasure.

Once he gently broke the contact, he chuckled. "Besides…we won't be raising him alone, you remember. Your brother, and Suki, and Toph…even Zuko, when he and Mai can ever break away from ruling their kingdom to visit. They've all been a great help so far."

"True," Katara smiled and turned her gaze back to the horizon. The sun had set fully, now leaving the sky in ever-darkening bands of red, orange, and indigo. "They'll all love our child dearly. We'll certainly love _their_ kids."

"If Zuko will get to kids," Aang rolled his eyes. "Mr. Fire Lord, all up to his neck in his duty, took ages just to _propose_ to Mai."

"Sheesh, yeah…but just you wait, I think we'll hear the news from them soon enough. And Sokka seemed to like the idea of being an uncle almost as much as being a dad," Katara laughed. "Remember how he tripped on the chair when the news got out?"

"I still think he was trying to get up to kill me," Aang half-grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'd kill _him_ if he did," Katara reminded him, dismissively waving her hand. "But after that, he was ecstatic."

"Oh yeah," Aang laughed. After a pause, he snorted. "We should keep our kid far away from him."

"What?" his wife quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I can't help but think he'll try to make him into a warrior or a hunter, and force-feed him meat," the Avatar grimaced in disgust.

"Pfff!" Katara snorted in laughter. "Please! He'd probably spoil him rotten, but he knows that we'll raise him how _we_ want. He knows what we agreed on, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, I told him," Aang assured. "If he's an Airbender, he'll learn the Air Nomad's traditions. He'll get his arrows when he becomes a Master and everything that I was taught will be his knowledge."

"And if he's a Waterbender, he'll learn the Southern Water Tribe traditions," Katara finished. "Everything I know, he'll know. Sokka may feed him meat then," she added with a roll of her eyes.

"But he'll have a little of both of us, too," Aang reminded her, holding her close. "He's cut from the cloth of two Nations. However he learns, whatever he learns…he will go about it with his own decisions. His own choices in the end."

"Perfect," the Waterbender smiled, laying back against his body. "See? I guess we _will_ be okay."

"Yeah," Aang chuckled. "We worry too much. Besides, why deprive him of getting to know his uncle, the great warrior Sokka?"

"I know he'll tell stories of the war," Katara imagined, "Just like he does with his baby daughter. Especially about everyone's heroism."

"Mostly his own," Aang hummed.

"And he'll tell jokes about it."

"Corny, terrible jokes…"

"And try to teach them to him…"

"While eating meat."

"…Let's keep our son well away from him."

"Yep."

A peal of laughter jolted through both of the young couple's bodies, their voices mingling and then falling into silence together once again as the last of the sun's painted light disappeared to make way for the stars. Hands together, fingers entwined, heartbeats and quiet breathing the only sounds they needed to hear, and the life-filled movements of a child that held with it such hope and would come to know a world of such love…

There wasn't much more, Aang and his soul mate seemed to agree, that was needed.


	2. The News

((AN: Okay, yes, in my absolutely shameless love for Kataang fluffiness and the love of writing these characters, I decided to turn another idea for a scene into a chapter. x3 I hope it's liked, and I thank the people who've read and given me a review or two so far. ^^ I also must admit, I have the most fun writing a conversation between the group. It's so freakin' easy to have them go off on tangents with Sokka. xP

As I hope I've stated, these characters do NOT belong to me, but to Mike and Bryan, God bless their genius.))

* * *

The day that the Avatar found out he was going to be a father was an unremarkable one at first, except for the fact that the entirety of the group had come back together again for a visit to the massively newly-refurbished Southern Air Temple.

The season was winter and all life closest to the poles still trudged and hibernated in its depths. The air was frosty and a layer of snow blanketed the mountains around the sacred plot of land. But with torches burning in the hallways and plenty of warm clothing for everyone, it was comfortable inside the rooms of the main temple building; thankfully, as Toph had said a thousand times over, it was nowhere near as chilly as the South Pole and about a million times more livable.

It was where Aang had remade what he called his "home-home"…not like the apartment in the breathtaking upper ring of Ba Sing Se that belonged to himself and each of his closest friends; or the mansion and spare rooms of the Fire Nation palace; or the gorgeous, expansive ice hut that was made just for them in the Southern Water Tribe, where they could always return for a time if the love of his life wanted. This is where he was rooted, and no matter where his Avatar duties or his Air Nomad wanderlust took him, there was always a place to come back to.

And wherever he went, so did Katara. After the end of the war, they barely left each other's side; forever they were a formidable and unbreakable team as friends, soul mates, and later a married couple. The Waterbender always figured that before she knew she fell in love with Aang, she fell in love with traveling the outside world with him; she was never fated to stay in the icy, blank South Pole as once she feared. She helped him, fought with him, and the Avatar knew that there was nobody else he deemed more worthy to rebuild the world with…in more ways than one, as the idea went that crossed both of their minds from time to time.

Their friends were always in touch, no matter where they were in the world at the time. Fire Lord Zuko and his wife Mai kept the peace both within and without the confines of the royal palace and traveled rarely, but were always welcomed by whomever they saw. Sokka took his duties as a warrior and the next in line for the Southern Tribe chieftain rather seriously; but as the world was living in a time of quite heavy peace, there was little need for fighting other than training to keep his skills sharp. He and his love Suki, fierce leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, always traveled together between the South Pole, the Southern Air Temple and her home on Kyoshi Island with her band having been appointed official guardians of the southern portion of the sea. As for Toph, she was hard to keep track of; always the traveler, wandering the world looking for ways to help or things to do; Jet's old band of followers often tagged along as her personal little armada of warriors, as per the insistence of The Duke, who was growing rather quickly into a capable new leader. In her spare time she schooled any new Earthbenders that she deemed worthy of her help, or she visited all of her other friends when the loneliness got to her.

All in all, they were still a family no matter where they were, and always would be; little could be done to change that, even when new arrivals appeared among Team Avatar—namely, Sokka and Suki's baby daughter Kimiye, who at the moment this story took place was peaceably playing with Momo on the ground nearby.

That cold winter morning was a special one, as everyone had decided to take a relaxing stay for a week or two at the Southern Air Temple since they were crossing paths anyway. A warm breakfast was shared by all around an ornate oak table. Sokka wolfed his food like a starved hog-monkey while the others watched with bemused—and slightly nauseated—expressions. Suki rolled her eyes. Across from them, Zuko and Mai simply tried to look bored and dignified as they ate (Mai did, anyway. Zuko had a smirk, wondering if the Water Tribe warrior was going to choke at one point). Iroh, who had decided to take a trip to visit Zuko after finding out where he was, was busily brewing a new pot of tea as always. Toph was resting back on the chair, munching loudly on a peach. Aang was at the head of the table picking at his bowl of rice with his chopsticks, chuckling at the goings-on.

The only one who wasn't present was Katara, and the sight of the empty chair beside him only made Aang sigh with worry. That morning, and for a few mornings past in fact, she'd been sick to her stomach; slightly nauseous throughout the day and awakening with a none-too-painful churning in her gut that made her rush out of bed and to the sink. The Waterbender had passed it off as a quick bug until that very morning.

But finally, Katara emerged from the doorway to greet the smiling faces of her closest friends in the dining room together. She didn't look any worse for the wear, but her strong countenance always did little to betray any type of sickness. Only Aang and the others knew better.

"Morning, guys," she greeted cheerfully as she paused in the door.

The salutation was returned in kind by everyone, including a respectful bow from Iroh and a spare wave from her brother as he still had his face in his bowl licking at any food remnants. Aang looked up, his expression brightening as it always did upon laying eyes on the Waterbender. "How's your stomach, Katara?" he inquired with concern. "Can you eat breakfast?"

"I think so," she nodded with a reassuring smile back toward her husband. "Still, this is starting to get weird. I've been sick for five days…I should probably think of going for a quick trip back home to have a healer look at me."

"Probably the best idea," Sokka pointed out once he swallowed his meal enough to speak. "You can never tell what types of sicknesses sneak up on ya. Remember when Aang got that cold?"

"How could anyone _forget?_" Toph piped up; even at age 19, the former Blind Bandit hadn't lost an inch of snark. "The guy still sneezes hard enough to send people flying into walls."

"Yeah, like me," Sokka dryly remarked.

Aang rolled his eyes. "I _said_ I was sorry, Sokka. I can't exactly concentrate enough to control my sneezing when I'm sick. It's an Airbender thing."

"That type of problem isn't exclusive to Airbenders," Iroh said as he poured tea into several cups on a tray. "When young Firebenders get fevers, they have to sleep on fireproof blankets."

"Well, some do," Zuko snorted a laugh. "Anyway Katara, hope you feel better."

"Yeah, me too," Katara smiled gratefully, before dismissing the matter and walking further into the room. "The tea smells great, Iroh."

"It's good for what ails you, too," the old General smiled. "A few cups of this, and I _guarantee_ your cookies will stay in your gut."

"Iroh's tea could cure the blind if he knew how to do it," Mai rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't drink it then," Toph shot back. "I wouldn't change myself for the world."

The younger friends all shared a quiet laugh at the banter and accepted his tea. But as Katara moved closer to the table and Toph let one of her feet to the floor, her foggy eyes narrowed. "Hey…wait. Katara, stop moving."

The Waterbender froze and turned a questioning glance to her friend. "Why?"

"It's just…huh…" Toph's expression turned quizzical as she put both feet on the ground and stood to approach Katara. "Hold still a second."

With the others curiously looking on, Toph moved in a slow circle around her, scrutinizing with her Earthbending vision what her eyes couldn't see or her ears couldn't pick up. She concentrated, listening to Katara's steady bodily rhythms and pulse, which was going a little quicker as the awkward moment passed.

Finally, Katara had enough of the vague behavior of her young friend. "Toph, you're creeping me out. What's going on?"

Toph kept her answer to herself for a second longer before stopping and looking up at the Waterbender with her face twisted in confusion. "Katara, this is probably gonna sound _really_ strange…but there's an irregularity in your heartbeat. It's kinda…almost like you have two of them."

"Two heartbeats?" Katara drew back, eyebrow quirked. "That's pretty impossible, Toph."

"Yeah, really," said Sokka as he drummed his fingers idly on the table. "People don't have two hearts. I mean, it could be possible, since sky bison have five stomachs, but still, Katara I think always had _one_." He regarded his sister with a grimace. "You didn't grow another one, did you?"

"Will you quit joking for just one second?" Suki lightly shoved her husband in the shoulder and regarded Katara with a tilted head. "Why do you think Toph would hear _two _heartbeats?"

"Could you be picking up one of ours by mistake?" Zuko mused.

"No…I can kinda feel it too," Aang remarked, one of his bare feet having brushed the hard stone floor. His Earthbending vision, though not as finely-tuned as Toph's, was still good enough to be of use. His eyes were locked on firmly on Katara, wondering what could be going on with her. "There's your heartbeat, and a slightly different, smaller pulse right with you."

Trying to stay calm while being the unwitting center of attention, Katara was going through all she knew of the human body in her head; as a practiced healer, she thought that she could find an answer. "Okay…irregular heartbeats…stomach ache…throwing up…"

It was then, Suki's eyes shot open in recognition of one symptom. She leaned forward eagerly. "Katara, you've been sick? And early in the day?"

"Pretty much every day for the past _few_ days, yeah," Katara shrugged. "Why?"

Suki leaned back in the chair again, her hand slapping to her forehead. "Oh…my…gosh. I forgot _all_ _about_ that! Why didn't I see it?"

"See what?" Sokka demanded. "Suki, what's going on with my sister?"

She glanced back at her husband. "Don't you remember, how sick I was when…"

"When you were just pregnant with Kimiye," Katara finished for her, thoughtfully. "But that would mean…that…" her eyes widened, slowly. "That…"

Katara's arms dropped to her sides and the room seemed to disappear as all eyes fell on her. Through her mind, she flashed back to all the times she had helped deliver babies in the South Pole, what Gran-Gran had told her…how one could tell a pregnancy through little symptoms...

And then suddenly she knew that Toph's sensing two heartbeats in her made _very_ logical sense. Suki's grin widened, Iroh's eyes lit up with knowing, and the others were awaiting her next words as they hadn't caught on just yet.

"I'm…" she breathed, one of her hands reflexively touching her abdomen. Slowly, a smile spread onto her features. "I think I might be…having a baby."

Everything came to a halt. Several pairs of eyes all locked squarely on Katara. The room was dead silent…except for the echoing clatter of Aang's chopsticks as they had fallen from his fingers to hit the edge of his bowl.

Then, several things happened at once:

Suki sprang from her seat to hug Katara with a loud squeal of joy. Toph sat down again, proud of herself for helping them to figure it out. Sokka had yelled "You're WHAT?" and proceeded to stand, only to end up tripping on the chair and face-planting himself into the floor. Mai looked dumbfounded, while Zuko and Iroh had shaken themselves from their surprise to give congratulatory pats on the shoulder to Aang.

And the Avatar himself, completely red-faced, had fallen back and promptly fainted on the ground with a groan, taking the chair with him.

"Oh, my…" Iroh grimaced once the others stopped their celebrating to notice his prone form. "Ah, I'll go fetch the smelling salt, shall I?"

"Haha…!…I think you broke him, Sugar Queen!" Toph laughed.

* * *

What seemed like an eternity later—but was perhaps only a few minutes—Aang was finally starting to come around with a very strong and pungent odor assaulting his nostrils. He had been moved from the dining room to one of the common areas and placed on a couch, with the others hovering nearby.

He was only vaguely aware of them as he blinked away the fogginess in his eyes and registered the bump on the back of his head he had gotten from the impact. He sat up slowly and rubbed at it while his friends backed away to give him some more air.

"Buh…wha' happened?" he groaned once everyone and their relieved faces came into focus. "Did I get attacked?"

A few of the others stifled their snickers as Toph answered dryly. "Nah; you just fainted like a hypnotized gorilla-goat. Congratulations, by the way."

"Congratulations for what?" he asked, only just fully out of his haze. "For fainting?"

Knowing smiles appeared on the faces of the others, who were comfortably seating themselves on the various chairs around the small table dotting the living room. "No, for what _made_ you faint," Suki laughed. "Try to think."

Confused, Aang scratched his head and bit his lip.

It took only a second. Like a lightning strike, the last few moments before he blacked out returned to assault his memory. Katara's murmured words…her smile…everyone's reactions. His eyes widened, and he leaped to his feet. "Katara! Where is she?"

"Up here."

The familiar and most relieving voice caused his heart to race when she answered. He looked over to notice his wife, leaning with her arms on the couch head just behind him. Her azure eyes were glittering, and she had a peaceful but bemused smile.

Overcome with emotion, Aang turned and sprang around to her, taking hold of her shoulders and locking her eyes with his. His voice quivered, and nearly faltered several times. A closer match to the Avatar that the spectators all knew very well.

"Katara, please tell me that I heard right, and that I wasn't dreaming. Are you…am I…are we…" his voice started to break into tiny, hopeful sobs. His cheeks were bright crimson.

The Waterbender listened to his stammer and replied with a soft giggle, her hands placing themselves over his. Her face, though a few shades darker than his own, held that same rosy blush. The joy in her eyes never diminished. "You heard right, Aang…I have to visit a doctor to confirm it for real, but…I can feel it myself too. I think..."

His heart thundered in his chest, his pulse so loud in his ears that it was threatening to impede her words…but he held onto each one she spoke. Every syllable, every letter, every pause for breath his soul mate took, he registered in his very mind and spirit.

"I really think I'm pregnant," she breathed, cupping his cheek with her hand. She regarded him with an expression that was _so_ loving as she finished…he felt like he was melting on the inside. "You're going to be a father."

Katara couldn't remember the last time his storm-gray eyes hid so much unspoken emotion. "A…father…" he echoed, feeling as if he were about to faint again. But he fought to keep steady as the words sunk in, still gripping her shoulders while she cupped his face with her hands. "A father. Me. We…we're gonna be parents. You're gonna be a mom…and…wow…"

"Yeah…hard to believe, huh?" she let out a shaky giggle and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Overcome, he returned the embrace, clutching her like he was holding a treasure more precious to him than the world itself. And indeed, she was.

"I would like to be the next to give my most sincere congratulations to Avatar Aang and Master Katara," Iroh declared, holding up his cup of tea. "This is the kind of news that the world won't see again for years to come!"

"Here, here!" the others chanted. The couple looked on with sheepishness and eternal bliss radiating from them, still holding on to one another.

"Way to go, Twinkletoes," Toph grinned.

"This is definitely good news for the world," Zuko admonished, his hand wrapping around Mai's waist.

"Just think, soon enough, Kimiye will have a cousin to play with," Suki laughed as she turned to look at Sokka, only to find that he'd disappeared.

The warrior in question had swiftly come up behind the two and had them both locked in a brotherly embrace. "Congratulations, you crazy kids, and thanks for making me an UNCLE!" he practically squealed in glee.

"Ack," Aang choked in his grip with a nervous grin. "You're welcome."

"Sokka, air, please!" Katara in turn wheezed.

Instantly, he let them go. "Heh, sorry…but I'm just so _excited!_ First I was a dad, and now I'll be an uncle! I'm so happy, I could…"

He suddenly stood up, a stern expression crossing his face and his voice returning to normal. "That reminds me." Turning to face Aang, he delivered a swift punch to his gut.

Though a simple blow like that wouldn't really hurt him, the Airbender reeled back, nonetheless. "What was that for?" he demanded in surprise.

"It's in the Brother Code," Sokka shrugged with a smirk. "You got my sister pregnant, so I gotta sock you…Sokka socks ya. Ha! Yeah, I'm remembering that one..."

"Sokka, we're _married,_" Katara reminded him with a slap to the back of his head. "The Brother Code doesn't apply here."

"What do you know of the Brother Code?" he demanded. "That's top-secret."

"I'm a brother," Zuko pointed out. "Shouldn't I have gotten a memo about that?"

"You don't count—your sister's nuts," said the Water Tribe warrior in a matter-of-fact fashion.

There was a pause from the Fire Lord. "…Okay, point."

"It's fine, I didn't get one either," Iroh chortled. "It's a family curse."

The banter continued on in the background between their friends…but as far as Aang and Katara were concerned right then, the room was empty but for each other. The fact that he was going to be a father couldn't leave the Avatar's mind, and in his gently-shown euphoria he didn't want to release his true love from his embrace. "This has to be one of the happiest days of my life," he murmured with quivering words into her hair.

The Waterbender in turn couldn't agree any more; she wordlessly clutched him for all it was worth, letting herself become lost in his presence. With him, there was a small aura of disbelief. Her best friend, the Avatar, the love of her life, the father of her child…_how far we've come,_ she thought, nuzzling her head into his shoulder as his hand reverently caressed her still-flat stomach. "I love you so much, Aang."

"I love you more," he whispered back, just as much lost in Katara as she was in him.

Their attention was only caught again when Suki posed a question to Katara. "So, how far along do you think you are?"

"It'd be easier to pick a day where they _weren't_ trying," Toph muttered rather loudly.

Simultaneously, the pair's cheeks turned bright red. "Toph, that's not funny!" Katara shouted, while Aang turned his head and pretended to have a sudden fascination with a spider-fly on the wall. The rest of them had either broken out into loud laughter or were trying to respectfully hide their embarrassed snickering behind their hands.

The Earthbender put on her characteristic toothy grin. "I sense all and I know all, Sweetness. You might wanna try and remember that when certain people are visiting." Her smile turned soft again. "To that end, it's about _time_ you guys had a baby, already. You'll be the best parents in the world."

"I think we'll try our best, anyway," Aang smiled back, returning his tight hold on his wife.

Still feeling indignant, the young Water Tribe woman focused on Suki's earlier question. "I suppose it's been a few weeks, but like I said, I need to see a healer to be sure."

Iroh cleared his throat. "Well, now that we know that we're all okay, we ought to move back to the dining room and finish breakfast. We've got messages to send, too."

"Don't start the rumors so soon, Uncle," Zuko's eyes rolled. "We don't know for sure yet."

"Just to the White Lotus members, I assure you," the Dragon of the West assented. "I'm sure that at least Pakku will want to hear about this, Master Katara, as well as your family."

"I can't wait to hear their reaction," she laughed in response, discreetly intertwining her fingers with Aang's.

The Avatar laughed nervously. "Just as long as your dad doesn't punch me too."

"Nah…he knows better than to pick a fight with the Avatar," Sokka waved his hand. "Now, if you were any other guy, he'd just take his cudgel and…"

"—Sokka!" Katara practically snarled.

"_What?_"

"Spirits help me," Aang sighed, still smiling nonetheless.


	3. The News II

((Okay, this...was just another interlude that came about from me wanting to write these two having a romantic moment and some funny banter. :B But I'm gonna try and keep it within the confines of the rating I set as much as I can. It becomes a good writer's challenge to do that, methink. And I'm still coming up with ideas every time I think of this little collection of parental one-shots. x3 Enjoy! And by the way, all these stories are in the same exact frame of a storyline, but I think I may jump around the timeline a little. It's not a formal story, just a bunch of ideas strung together into one.

These characters belong to Mike and Bryan, and not to me, so no sue-y the author, k? x3 ))

* * *

Later on in the evening, after the initial excitement had worn down to make way for the lingering expectations to come, the others had gone their own ways into the temple. Outside, dusk was starting to fall; it was always a little disconcerting to see the days grow shorter and much colder. Still it remained a comfortable temperature within the temple walls, and the silence of the near-darkness was quite enjoyed.

Katara was alone in one of the rooms that had been made into a kitchen, with only the sounds of the whistling breeze outside and the lingering snoring groans of a napping sky bison on a platform nearby. The stone square of a window was left open to the view of the outside as the ocean of clouds shifted into many vibrant colors in the wake of the setting sun.

Soon enough, an appetizing smell was wafting all around the room. Katara, breathing the scent and getting used to it fast, felt pleased with herself knowing that she'd all but mastered an old recipe she'd found, with a good mix of vegetables and herbs that she knew her husband loved. She hummed a few random notes while using Waterbending to stir the boiling concoction in the pot. The fire, having been stoked to its highest temperatures for boiling at such an altitude, easily fought with the cool breeze from the window and kept the room warm. All in all, making dinner was a peaceful affair for her, if often too quiet.

But there would be a remedy for that soon enough. Aang, who had been gliding outside, landed on the roof above the kitchen (which had been set lower on the mountain than any other room as another consequence of the altitude). He intended to peer into the window where he knew Katara was cooking. At first it was his compulsion to find her right then, but then it was the absolutely _delicious_ smell of the food that gave him added incentive to draw closer.

Back inside, the Waterbender was entombed in her task and hardly noticed that she was being watched. With a sudden start, her head turned to the window. _Did I see something moving?_

She scrutinized the opening to the outside for a few more seconds before shrugging and returning to the pot. _Bird, maybe._

Beneath her notice, an Airbender with a sneaky grin on his features made his way to another part of the roof and slipped into another window.

A slight scuffling noise ensued just outside of the door to the hall. Katara tensed and whirled around. But again, nothing but silence. Not even a shadow dancing on the wall to give anybody or anything away.

But only a few more moments into her cooking, there was a whistling noise and the sound of scrabbling just outside into the cold air of dusk. This time, the young woman whirled to it and held her hands up in a prepared stance. "Whoever's doing that, you should know better than to sneak up on a Master Waterbender!" she declared.

"I know."

"AAH!" Katara yelped at the voice suddenly in such close proximity. As the disciplined fighter she was, she whirled around on one foot and moved her arms, summoning the water from the sink pump and tossing it forward in one fluid motion. But as soon as she released the water, it had frozen into a wall of ice right before her.

Puzzled, the nervous hairs on her neck settled when she saw Aang's head peering from behind the wall. "Scared ya," he smirked.

Katara groaned loudly in annoyance and re-bent the ice into water, flinging it into the sink. "Didn't I tell you not to do that?"

"Probably about 200 times," Aang chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry."

Her expression softened. Funny as he was sometimes, his smile never failed to charm the Waterbender. "It's okay," she admonished with a soft laugh herself as she turned to place another block of wood in the stove. "What're you doing, anyway?"

"Nothing much; the others are busy, so I was flying, and smelled something good." As he spoke, his eyes wandered over Katara and noticed how well her usual ocean-blue Water Tribe dress fit her form and complimented it immensely. A slow grin overtook his face. "It's hard for me to stay away, really."

Katara barked another slight laugh, continuing to stir the contents of the pot with only her waving hand. "I guess it's true what they say about finding a man's heart through his stomach."

"Psh," Aang scoffed loudly. From behind, the Waterbender heard a shuffle as he walked toward her. "I believe you'd have had my heart even if all you could do was boil water. Besides…"

She barely had time to register that his voice had dropped about an octave, into a tone that was quite familiar and always sent a chill up her spine. Before she knew it, one arm was slinking around her waist while his other hand rested itself warmly upon her shoulder. His taut chest was to her back, and his soft voice was near her ear. "It wasn't the food that drew me to the kitchen as much as the beautiful woman standing in it."

Katara was only mildly startled, but soon started to find herself melting in his arms. "Aang…" she started to warn, only to be stopped by the feel of his lips on the side of her neck, trailing soft kisses. "Mm," she ended up humming as a result.

They stood together like that for a short while, the Airbender treating his love with his affections while she tried and failed to pay attention to what she was doing. For the millionth time in her life, Katara wondered how in the world the goofy kid she was first introduced to eventually learned to be so charming. She nearly lost all coherent thought when she was slowly and tightly pulled against him and he breathed cool air on her earlobe, sending a tidal wave of shivers up her spine.

Noticing the still-boiling pot of food in front of her, however, the young Water Tribe woman shrugged him off with a light, playful jab of her elbow in his rib. "C'mon, quit that; you're making me want to walk back to bed with you, and I can't exactly leave the kitchen."

Aang's grip lightened only slightly, but his persistent breath lingered on her ear as he whispered his reply. "Well, we don't _have_ to leave the kitchen."

With a slight jerk, Katara turned to him with an incredulous expression in her wide ocean-blue eyes. "_Here?_ What're you, crazy? What if someone walks in?"

"I don't think they will," the monk replied with a thoughtful quirk of his lip. "Last time I left everybody, they were all in the courtyard. Sokka's sword-fighting with Zuko…and Suki, Mai and Iroh are having a mini Pai-Sho tournament in one of the outer houses. Also last I checked, Iroh was winning again."

"And Toph?" Katara inquired with an eyebrow quirked. "At least _I'm_ trying to remember that she can sense us."

"Oh, she's practicing on the other side of the mountain altogether. That's a bit far away even with _her_ Earthbending." He caught her gaze again, eyes half-lidded and overflowing with the love he was feeling for the woman in his arms. His voice dropped to an enticing whisper. "We're alone."

At that, Katara let out a slow hum while returning his grin. "It sounds tempting…" she admonished, leaning up to brush her lips against his. However, as she felt his hands enveloping her again, she pulled away before they could get caught up. "…But I really do have to finish dinner. If I don't, I think the others might ask what took so long. And knowing Sokka, he'll go off on a rant," she grimaced.

Aang's eyebrow quirked at the thought, and he let out a disappointed sigh. "You got me there. I'd rather not face the embarrassing questions."

"See?" Katara said with a smug grin and turned back to her stirring. She took some spices and added them to the mixture, making the room smell faintly of pepper. "Sorry to disappoint though, since you were looking for me and all."

Aang simply shrugged, a soft smile appearing as he returned his arms around her waist with his chin resting warmly on her shoulder. "You never have to be sorry around me, Katara, you know that. I'm the one who's sorry if I'm being a bother. But, I just can't stay away from you." She glanced down as his hand caressed her lower abdomen. "Especially now."

"Don't be sorry either, Aang; I never mind having you around." She gave him a warm smile back, laying her hand over his. "Still excited about the baby, huh?"

"More than excited," he nodded. "I still feel like I'm dreaming…and that I'll wake up and be twelve again, with you and me and the others trying to win the war." He drew in a deep breath. "All of this…it reminds me every day how incredibly lucky we've all been. How lucky we are to still have each other."

"It's overwhelming," Katara agreed softly as she absently added a few herbs to the stew. "I don't like to dwell on the past…but I do like it when I take a step back and see how it all changed for the better."

"That's what I like to focus on too," whispered Aang, nestling his cheek into her hair. "What's here and now. And speaking of…when are you going to see the healer?"

"Tomorrow morning," Katara confirmed. "Just a short trip back home. You can come with me if you want."

"I'd have it no other way," her husband smiled. "I want to hear it for myself that we're actually having a baby."

"Me too," she breathed, the air between them going comfortably silent again.

For a while then, he was content to just hold on to her and she to lean close against him, listening and feeling each other's breathing and heartbeat as blessed reminders of how alive they were. She had a lingering smile while concentrating on her cooking, and Aang watched what she was doing. He never failed to notice how poetic it looked whenever she was moving her hand, effortlessly conducting even a small example of her Waterbending prowess.

"So, what're you making, anyway?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him as he watched over her shoulder and inhaled the scent from the pot. "Because it smells _wonderful."_

"It's nothing special," she said with a smirk. "Sea slug boiling in stewed sea prunes."

Aang jerked back, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "It is _not!_ C'mon, that smells _too_ good to be sea prunes!"

She laughed at his reaction; it was cute, the way discussing his least favorite foods still made him cringe like a child. Her head shook. "Okay, you're right, it isn't. But I'm still not telling. It's a surprise."

"Aw, please?" he whined. "You can tell me."

"Nope, you'll have to wait."

"Not even a _little_ taste?" he pleaded.

"I said no," Katara insisted, her tone rising a little. "Now shoo; I'm about done with it anyway."

"Ugh," Aang groaned and feigned anger. "You did _not_ just tell the Avatar to shoo."

"I diiiid, and I'll do it again," Katara sang.

Standing back and crossing his arms, the Airbender rolled his eyes indignantly. Katara had a smug smile at his silence, thinking that she'd won the banter.

Then, suddenly, she jumped back and yelped in surprise as the contents of the pot rose as if of its own will; a steaming liquid stream of soup lifting away from the heat. She shot a look at Aang, who tried to look innocent while his hand was in the air and taking on a characteristic Waterbending pose.

"Oooh!" Katara growled and snatched for a lid to place over the pot. Severing the connection between the soup and his commanding movements with a metallic slam, she shot him a glare. "I swear if you try that again, you're not getting any of it."

"Awww!" he pouted. "You're such a spoilsport."

She paused to cool her building annoyance and sighed, giving him a few playful pokes in the shoulder. "And _you_ know better than to try using Waterbending to sneak food from your teacher."

Giving her his sheepish wide-eyed look, he acquiesced. "You're right, Sifu," he said with an apologetic bow, the warm grin still on his face. Though he had been at the level of Master Waterbender for quite some time, he still felt it more appropriate to keep Katara in higher respect as the one who taught him. Plus, it made for a memorable private joke between them. "I'll be patient."

"Good," she sighed with a light shake of her head, removing the lid to check on the soup. "Sometimes I think a part of you never really grew up, Aang."

He laughed. "It was rare for an Air Nomad to be too serious for too long. I think that if I lost the side of me that still has fun, I'd go crazy."

"So would I," Katara said after a slight pause. "It's part of what I love about you. No matter how things get, you're still so light-hearted. You still teach _me_ to be, a little."

"I'm only glad to help," Aang replied with a murmur in his voice. He took her hand and squeezed it, leaning to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to it."

Receiving a loving smile from his wife in return, he turned and started towards the door.

But he only got to about an inch from the frame before something firmly grabbed his wrist and lightly pulled him back. Blinking in confusion, he turned to see Katara doing the pulling. The lid had been replaced on the kettle and the fire had died a little in the stove.

And suddenly, he could tell that she'd changed her mind.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" she purred, pulling him further back in. His heart leaped to his throat as her gaze caught his. She had a glitter in her eyes that he couldn't remember was there before. Katara regarded him with that look, the one that only beckoned him closer. "The soup has to simmer for a while. A girl gets bored waiting."

The intonation in her voice cracked through the brief confusion in his mind, and he gave her a lopsided grin. "Wouldn't want that, right?"

"Nope." With a waiting smile, her arms slid around his shoulders and she met his lips with a loving fervor that he only gladly returned in earnest. A feeling like lightning lanced through their nerves at the heavy contact…and once again the surroundings became naught but drowned in mist as far as they were concerned.


	4. The Great Debate

((AN: Yeah, another little chapter all too soon xP This actually came up as an idea about the same time as the previous one did, and my muse was bugging me to write it. My muse is rather sporadic though, so chapters won't often be so quick in coming, I assure you. :B

First of all, I wanna say thanks a lot to everyone who faved, alerted, and gave comments. You guys are quite awesome, and it's nice to see support from fellow Avatards and good writers in their own right. ^^ I look forward to every bit of critique or observation given to me.

Also, I can almost feel the collective groaning. I know that just about everyone and their mothers have tackled the issue of Aang's having to "repopulate" the Air Nomads, and a few have also had the same idea as this...but I decided that yeah, I wanted to try my hand at the scenario and give my variation on how my favorite pair would handle it, because it -is- an interesting subject to tackle. Suffice it to say, you'll have to read for yourself to see. x3 Enjoy!

All and sundry here belong to Mike and Bryan, as per usual.))

* * *

It had been about two months after the initial news…and it was long confirmed that indeed, Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe was pregnant; much to the happiness of Avatar Aang, her eternal beloved.

It didn't take very long either for the world to become stirred by the news. Descendants of the Avatar were often held in quite high regard through the years, and it was always a big deal when it came into being. This event was no exception, as the news caused ripples through every corner of all Nations. There were so many letters of congratulations sent from everyone they ever knew throughout their journeys, that it was nearly impossible to read through them all in one sitting.

The publicity wasn't lost on the original members of the group, either, since they were considered as close as family to the powerful bender. Sokka and Toph in particular both milked the praise they were getting, while the others begrudgingly reminded everyone that _yes,_ they _knew_ about it and to stop bugging them already.

But along with the praise, there also came a stirring of concern from some groups as to what it meant. Specifically the concerns came from the different Sages from the Avatar Temples dotting each Nation, who voiced it in turn to their rulers and who thus voiced it to their ambassadors. Soon, several meetings came to pass in order to discuss the future of a world being rebuilt after 100 years of turmoil…namely, the future of the Air Nomads, which had thought to have come to an abrupt end at the hands of Fire Lord Sozin.

News of one upcoming meeting finally reached the Avatar himself through summons delivered via messenger hawk from Ba Sing Se's royal palace. Thus, the growing family knew exactly where they were going to stay next for a short trip; in the apartment located in the upper ring of the sprawling and always-breathtaking Earth Kingdom capital city.

Thus, one cool evening in early spring, Aang was sitting attentively near the head of a long rectangular table that made up the Earth King's council chamber. Not many were attending…other than King Kuei himself and his guards and advisors (and of course his pet bear, Bosco), there were at least two or three representatives that were Sages from different temples, dressed in the colors representing their respective Nations. A few members of the Order of the White Lotus were present as well, since the group after the war had long become a driving force in the restoration of the world. Iroh himself wasn't present…but Pakku was among them, which made Katara a little more comfortable in that regard when facing the elderly leaders. A seat next to Aang was prepared for her; as the Avatar's wife and a capable ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe herself, her position to him was as an equal, which they both also appreciated.

Silence befell the room as the king called for attention. "First of all, I would like to give my sincere congratulations to my two young friends on their wonderful new addition. I wish your family prosperity and health in the years to come."

As the council voiced their agreements, the couple bowed their heads politely at the respectful gestures. "Thank you," Aang replied. "It's greatly appreciated."

A smile lingered on the king's face before he cleared his throat and idly adjusted his glasses. "Now, on to the matter at hand. The representative from the Temple of the Earth Sages will now speak."

"Thank you, your Highness," a strong, elderly man said as he stood, his aged emerald eyes scanning the rest of the room before falling on Aang. "Avatar," he started respectfully. "The Sages call this meeting together because we are all rather concerned. As you very well know, the state of the world is still quite fragile. Though efforts at rebuilding and relocating have proven very quick and as painless as possible thanks to you and your comrades, there are still matters of world balance that aren't so easily fixed. Namely, the Avatar Cycle. With you being the last Airbender in this world as far as anyone knows, when the Cycle goes through its pattern and returns to the element of Air in the future, it may very well stop."

"I've thought about that as well," Aang nodded with a serious countenance to him. "It's a dire problem, and I know the world needs the Avatar to stay in balance. I have already thought of several solutions that would make it possible for there to be enough Airbenders in the future for the Cycle to stay alive."

He felt Katara's hand discreetly slip into his, and he spared a glance into her calm eyes with a warm smile. "Including raising a family with my wife and increasing it through our bloodline."

The Sage cleared his throat. "Yes, well…that is the very method that we have come to call this meeting for."

The couple turned their attention to the old man, their shared expressions quizzical. _Does he have something against this?_ Katara wondered.

He thoughtfully ran his hand over his beard as he continued. "I carry no offense to your wife, Avatar…but you will need to think about just how importantly this situation needs to be rectified. Two people cannot restore a Nation alone…and even if you try as much as possible, one can never predict the future and that of your descendants. Because Master Katara is a Waterbender, there is still a lessened chance that Airbenders will be borne of you."

"Yes, but that doesn't matter to me," Aang assured, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Whether they become Airbenders, Waterbenders, or even carry no bending at all, I'd love my children with all my heart, and no less."

The Sage nodded slowly. "Be that as it may, Avatar…we cannot carry the future of the Avatar Cycle and the world itself into a guess. We have to have some kind of certainty. So, after a long debate about it, we propose a…" his eyes closed, and he appeared as if his next words tasted like bile on his tongue. "…An alternate solution on you."

"Alternate solution?" Aang echoed, quirking his eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Beside him, however, Katara easily caught the intonation in the Sage's words. She cringed and tried to keep the churning sickness from what he was even _thinking_ of saying from overcoming her. _Don't say anything yet, _she reminded herself, trying to soothe the boiling tide within. _You know how these old men get if you speak out of turn. Just wait…_

The Sages and each of the others in the room let their expressions fall, trying not to betray their own opinions on the matter. But Aang noticed that some of them seemed a little sick.

As he took a deep breath, the old Earth Sage began his explanation. "If no Airbenders come of your union with your wife, you could consider siring Airbending children…with other women."

A couple of surprised gasps broke the silence of the expansive chamber; both of which came from Kuei and Pakku, who were closer to the couple than anyone else in that room. To say they were disgusted was an understatement.

But _nothing _could compare with the open-mouthed glare that Katara was giving the Sage, and the slowly-boiling fire that seemed to come from behind Aang's storm-gray eyes. They could barely comprehend what they'd just heard, and when they finally did, they didn't dare try to believe it.

Still, the Sage kept speaking. "The women would all be non-benders, to increase the chances. And I am quite certain that we could find many who are willing…"

After a few seconds of enduring his speech, each word a spear to his heart, Aang rose to his feet and fixed the Sage with an unshakable stare, which stopped the old man right in the middle of his explanation. Katara watched the Airbender, noting that she'd only ever seen that venomous look in his eyes once before…fixed upon the Sandbenders when Appa was stolen all those years ago.

"You're telling me…" he began, his voice even and containing the anger he felt right then, "That for the good of the world, I'd have to do this?" His words quivered. "To relinquish my beliefs…and _betray_ the woman I _love_ more than _anything…_"

"Believe me, Avatar, it was no easy thing to propose," one of the Fire Sages respectfully interrupted. "We all feel the same way, considering how some of us are married ourselves. But this is an unusual and desperate circumstance for the world, and it may require equally desperate measures to repair."

"What you propose is _unacceptable!"_ Aang practically roared. "Blasphemous! I mean, I know where you're coming from, but did you _seriously_ think that I'd go through with such a thing? Did you even _think at all?_"

"Avatar Aang, be reasonable!" the Earth Sage pleaded. "The sake of the world must come before the sake of anything else, here."

At that, the pupils in his eyes shrank to pinpoints in his emotional fury. "You're telling me to put the need of the _world_, for something that would not be important again until hundreds of years later, over my happiness and that of my wife!" Aang snarled. His eyes and arrows suddenly took on a blinding white glow, and the air in the room started swirling violently.

At once, Katara's hand shot out to grasp Aang's wrist as his nails scratched the table. At her touch, a shudder crawled through his body before he calmed himself again, willing the brief showing of the Avatar State away. The wind settled and his tattoos returned to their sky-blue shade again, leaving the rest of the room dumbfounded. They'd expected him to be upset, but not in such a volatile manner.

He turned his gaze to Katara briefly, his expression apologetic. But she gave him the warmest look in return, voicing all of her comfort and gratefulness for his actions in defending his feelings for her.

Once she knew that he calmed down again, the Waterbender stood up from her seat and placed her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "Sit down, Aang. I'll handle this."

The Sage's eyebrow quirked. "With all due respect, Master Katara, usually wives accompany their husbands to meetings with little say in these matters."

Aang felt her fingers flex as she heard the elderly man's words, and he saw a familiar determination rise in her, betrayed by the scowl on her face. Hiding an inward grin and knowing that Katara would surely freeze him in place if she could, he replied to the Sage for her with a hand held up. "Actually, you'd do well to hear what Katara has to say. This…issue…of yours concerns her as much as it does me."

"He is correct," Pakku chimed in. "As her grandfather and former teacher, I know and trust Master Katara's judgment fully, as should we all…she is one of the world's saviors, after all."

The Sage sighed and sat down again. "Very well," he begrudgingly admonished. "You have the floor, Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

She nodded and politely waited for Aang to sit down. Then, she promptly slammed her palms on the table, startling everyone and making sure that she had their full attention. Her gaze fixed squarely on everyone in turn, but especially on the Earth Sage that had proposed the idea in the first place…her husband could have sworn that she could have Bloodbended him into submission.

"You have a lot of nerve," she hissed, "Suggesting such a thing to Aang, when _I'm_ sitting right there with him, and basically ignoring my feelings about it…and then telling me what I can and can't say. If you have an _ounce_ of respect in you, you'll listen to me. Because I'm pretty certain my opinion counts here too.

"Yes, I too admit that the fate of the Avatar is of prime importance to the world. And I know that everyone just wants to help, even if this is all that you could come up with.

"But for what it's worth, I've always trusted and hoped that things will turn out the way destiny wants it to. He returned and saved the world, and he's now giving all of his power to restore it while he balances having a family too. Just as my hope for the world was confirmed with him, I also know that my hope for the Airbenders will be confirmed. Because _I'm_ here to make sure of it.

"Two people can't build a Nation themselves, no, but they can build a community that will over time grow into a village, or a tribe, or a city…or perhaps a Nation. Time…that's all it takes…and we have enough of that. More than enough."

Katara paused to take a deep breath, her hand settling on her lower stomach, where she knew the very future that they spoke of was still taking the time it needed to grow. None dared speak against her, and so she regained her voice. "So I don't want to hear any more about this from anyone. It's a _completely idiotic_ thing to make a meeting for. Aang and I can handle it, together, and we know it…and that's what matters."

She took another breath before her composure threatened to overwhelm her again. "I'm done. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some air." With a quick bow of her head, Katara turned her back and strode towards the exit, all eyes following her without breaking until she disappeared.

Once she did, the congregation seemed to let out a collective breath. Pakku had a grin on his face, remembering well how Katara could adequately defend her beliefs and having proudly observed that she hadn't lost a single step.

Kuei too was awed. "That is quite an unbreakable spirit you have in a wife, young man."

Aang's small smile was one of pride as he scratched the back of his head. "Couldn't stop her if I wanted to. And in this case," his expression fell, "I definitely didn't want to."

The old Earth Sage shook his head with a snort and eyed Aang. "Avatar, do you not have adequate control over your wife?"

Aang grimaced, standing up to face him and the rest of the congregation again. His voice was calm, agreeable, but stoic. "Sir, when I married Katara, I never agreed to 'control' her. My vows were to cherish, love, and stand by her for the rest of our days; and considering I was doing that all along, I'd argue that a ceremony to confirm it wasn't even necessary. We care for and protect each other equally, and I know that's what a marriage should truly be about, rather than what you and your old traditions must believe. I love her and trust her judgment with everything I have; because without her, I wouldn't be standing before you now. She released me into this existence again, and she kept me alive countless times. I will always be grateful, and the world should be grateful too.

"Besides, for all the knowledge that the Sages possess, they do forget a few facts about bending and the Avatar spirit, which I'd hoped to also bring up today. Namely, that just having a family with bending skills does not determine who becomes a bender; you have to have a spiritual connection within you as well. And try to remember that humans never could bend from the beginning; they were _taught_. As my people learned from the sky bison, yours learned from the badger moles, and the Fire Nation from the dragons, and the Water Tribes from the moon. The spirits willed it once, and perhaps they could do so again for Airbending. Who better than the Avatar to convince the spirits? You never know."

He had a point, the Sages noted, some of them even mentally kicking themselves for forgetting many of their spiritual lessons and history.

"Another point, I thought about when you were speaking of Katara being a Waterbender," Aang continued. "There is the possibility that we'll have Waterbender children as well as Airbending children, and that would be just as important for restoring the world's balance. Before I returned to the world, Katara was the last Waterbender of the Southern Tribe. Hers was almost the next Nation to become extinct; so surely, more Waterbenders to carry on the Southern traditions of her blood and her teachings would benefit things just as much…we're talking about restoring _every_ Nation for balance, not just mine."

"The Avatar has a point," Pakku supplied, with the Sages from the Water Temple nodding their agreements. "With the help of my brothers and sisters from the Northern Water Tribe, we have helped immensely to rebuild things at the South Pole, but truly, there needs to be two sister Tribes, one at each end of the world, with Waterbenders. The Southern tradition would have died along with Katara."

Aang cast a grateful smile toward his former Master before continuing. "But for now, I urge you to heed Katara's words and mine. She is right; one family could in the end make a difference. One way or another, I _will_ give the world Airbenders again, that much I promise. But for all that it's worth, it only matches my desire to simply do what I've dreamed of since I first fell in love with my wife: to raise a family in a world that I made peaceful again." His eyes briefly closed. "And I can feel that the Avatar spirit agrees with me. So you need not worry. I saved the world from Ozai and kept my spiritual needs and my vows intact at the same time. There's no reason that I can't do it again."

The Sages from each of the Nations in turn looked uncertain, but as his words sunk in, they had an impact on their thoughts and met each other's murmured agreements. The White Lotus members seconded the Avatar's statement without hesitation, and after, so did the king.

At that, Aang politely excused himself from the meeting as well and followed Katara's footsteps to the exit. Behind him, he could hear Kuei dismissing the council for the night, and for that, he couldn't be more relieved that it was over.

* * *

Aang wandered the hallways of the Earth Kingdom palace in his thoughtful silence, his shoes barely making a sound on the polished brown floor. The sun was setting outside, and its light from the rows of windows caused the ravishing patterns on each wall decoration he passed to almost shine. But still, he was too mentally exhausted from the emotions released in the meeting to pay attention to his surroundings.

He wasn't too far down the hall from the council chamber before he wandered past a corridor that intersected with another hall down the way. It was narrower and had fewer lights, but he could still see every detail of it, and paused to stop upon catching the one person he wanted to find the most standing within.

Katara was leaning on the wall in the shadows, one arm clutching the other while her hand was wiping the remainder of a tear from the corner of her eye.

She looked up however when Aang approached. "Hey," he smiled. "Are you okay?"

The Waterbender answered by drawing in a long shaky breath and forcibly grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, surprising him with a powerful kiss to his lips. After a second, he closed his eyes and returned her affection with gentle urgency, embracing her tightly and just wanting to lend her his comfort.

She let go after a few moments, breaking the kiss with slight hesitance. Aang blinked. "Wow," he laughed softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "What was that for?"

Her answer was muffled against his neck as she laid her head against his collarbone. "For being the most amazing husband anyone could ask for," she admonished, her voice wavering as she clutched at his shawl and held him as tightly as he did with her. "What were those old gasbags _thinking?"_

"Honestly? I think their hearts might have been in the right place," he admitted, shaking his head with pity. "But I think that they were rather blind to their priorities. The world needs to focus on important things that won't take too long to accomplish." He lifted her chin and placed a warm kiss on her cheek, right under one of her eyes. "I'm glad you set them straight. I was just waiting for you to freeze that guy solid."

"Heh, you have me beat; I had to get you out of the Avatar State again," she forced a light laugh. "But, you set them straight better than I did. People seem to forget that no matter how much political power they might hold, the only person with more than enough _real _power is the Avatar. And, also, I stuck around outside the door to hear everything you said after I left."

She pulled away slightly to meet his eyes, staring into those expressive, soft gray orbs and becoming lost in the unspoken love he sent back to her. "How in the world do I deserve you, Aang?" she whispered.

The Airbender blushed and put on a sheepish smile in response, pulling her into his embrace again and affectionately nuzzling her cheek. "You do. It shouldn't even be possible to question it. You and _only_ you."

She had no reply; but the moisture on his skin courtesy of another of her tears told him more than words could muster.

With that quiet moment exchanged between the couple, they strolled hand-in-hand through the palace hallway towards the exit. The sun had finally dipped below the horizon once they stepped out of the door and into the massive courtyard of the palace.

"Well, anyway, the meeting's over a bit earlier than planned," he muttered, looking at their surroundings in thought. "We have the rest of the evening. You wanna go have dinner? Maybe visit Iroh at the Jasmine Dragon, or…" he interrupted himself with a sudden yawn. _Wow, I'm a bit more exhausted than I thought._

Katara let out a quick laugh, bumping his shoulder briefly with hers. "I suppose we could just go back to the apartment."

"You're tired too, huh?" he said, giving her a warm smile. "It's been a rough day."

"That's part of it," she admitted and turned to regard the Avatar. The rosy tint on her cheeks betrayed her thoughts moments before she spoke them aloud. "Mostly though…I feel like going back, locking the door to the bedroom, and showing my husband just how _much_ I appreciate him."

He only went one step further before he froze and whirled his head around to look at her, a rush of bright crimson appearing to match the blush that his wife was giving him right back.

After a second, he sported a toothy grin while his half-lidded eyes hid a sensual sparkle. "Well then," he whispered with a chuckle, "I guess that's settled."

Suddenly, Katara yelped as he bent down and swept her off her feet, tightly carrying her in his arms as a rush of air swirled around his legs and helped him leap high over several rooftops with the first solid jump. That same feat of Airbending carried him almost higher and higher with every step, leaping across rooftops with an almost urgent swiftness.

"AAAH!" the Water Tribe woman yelped as she held on to Aang's robes, trying to keep her eyes closed as the scenery rushed past far too quickly. Her blood rushed faster than her heart could keep up with. "Aang, you're crazy!"

"Yep," he answered over the rush of air in her ears, smirking as he kept his eyes ahead of him. "But hey, you married me."

Despite the fear she felt at first, almost flying through the evening sky and over great heights with this impulsive Airbender, she settled into an easy comfort when she knew that he clutched her with every ounce of his strength and would never let her go. Thus, he graced her with the beauty of the painted twilit heavens and a grand view of Ba Sing Se's upper level with each flying rush.

_I married him,_ she echoed in her mind, her arms tightly wound around his neck as her smile widened. _And I'm so glad that I did._


	5. Water, Fire, and Wisdom

((AN: Thank you guys again for the comments and the faves; I'm glad that people like the story, and it's all very much appreciated. ^^

Anyway, new chapter. I had a slight suggestion on tackling how Zuko and Mai would fare as parents, and though these one-shots are mainly about Aang and Katara's child-rearing, I had an idea for a short, sweet conversation between a certain Waterbender and Firebender on the subject. Now, I'm by absolutely no means a Zutarian (in fact, I find the whole shipping thing rather silly, with the exception of any really cute canon couples, however I respect others' opinions), but I do see the two as still having a close and dynamic friendship. Just like they have with the rest of their friends. :) And such a thing is quite fun to write.

Enjoy!))

* * *

A rather sweltering late summer day found itself looming over the Fire Nation. At its zenith in the heavens, the sun's light went unhindered by clouds and bathed the citizens in the heat that they cherished and nigh worshipped. But for travelers from other Nations, they found themselves in rather uncomfortable standings and the heat had them scrambling for shade or water once the warmest part of the day made itself known.

Still, next to winter, summer was one of Katara's favorite seasons when traveling; then, she found it a very good excuse to spend most of her time cooling off in her native element and make Waterbending a daily exercise.

Earlier that particular day, she and Aang had traveled to a familiar city at the heart of the Fire Nation to visit Zuko and Mai in the Royal Palace. The Fire Lord had requested the Avatar's presence to help deal with a couple of minor uprisings, but it was mostly an excuse to see his good friends again after a couple of long months. Aang himself was cautious in letting Katara travel with him thanks to her rather heavily-pregnant state…she was a little over a month close to her due date. But she still proved herself stubborn and insisted on going, if only to get out of the temple for a while; and Appa was always a smooth enough ride. Traveling was never a problem for her while her husband was there to help.

The almost-unbearable afternoon sun thus found herself and her friends scattered and relaxing in the palace's beautiful green garden, large enough to be a park in its own right. After a few pleasantries and discussions between Zuko and Aang, the two of them were practicing their Firebending drills on the furthest side of the garden where nobody would be hit by their blasts. Mai was resting somewhere on a bench under the palace roof and Katara was standing in the shade of a large tree by the turtle-duck pond.

She had bent a fair amount of water for her own drills, carefully positioning herself and trying to let her rotund body slowly get used to the activity. She only kept to the basic slow and steady movements, not too strenuous and not too lazy; just right for keeping herself limber while her unborn child hopefully kept undisturbed. Her breathing was deep and her concentration on her task at its fullest. If there was ever a martial art made for the peace of mind that she needed the most, it was indeed the flowing motions of the arms and body that made up the Tai-Chi-like ethics of Waterbending.

Swallowed by her concentration, Katara was a few long moments into her training when a voice called up to her. "Hey, Katara."

Startled, she bent her sphere of water into a whiplash and sent it towards the source of the voice in the blink of an eye. She only halted the water when she found that it was the young Fire Lord himself that she was about to hit in the face.

"Whoa, watch it, I come in peace!" Zuko yelped, leaping clear of the end of the whip.

"Zuko?" Katara's eyes widened and she sent the water back into the pond. "Sheesh, don't do that. You scared me."

The Firebender blinked and sighed after regaining his composure, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Man…you'd think after eight years, I'd have learned to stop doing that."

He sounded dejected for a moment, to which Katara started to apologize for her behavior; but she noticed the slight grin tugging at his mouth under the scarred eye that told her he was only joking. She barked a laugh and rolled her own eyes. "You're such a dork, you know that? I don't know what Mai sees in you."

"You got me," Zuko shrugged as he reached to the roots of the tree where he'd stashed a towel to dry the sweat from his torso and a robe to get dressed with. "She thinks I'm charming. But go figure her sometimes," he chuckled.

"Yeah, really," Katara snorted as she turned back to the pond and bent another sphere of water to work with. "Anyway, sorry about that. I've just been really on edge lately. I'm more than ready to get this baby into the world already."

"It's okay," he replied, sitting down and wiping a bead of moisture from his forehead. "I don't know much about pregnancy, being a guy and all, but I think even I would want to snap at people after carrying all that weight for that long."

"You should quit talking; you're asking for another whip to the face," Katara dryly remarked as she continued her exercises. "So, speaking of Mai, when are you two going to have one of these?" she briefly pointed to her swollen abdomen and smirked. "Aang kinda wants to be made a godfather to a prince or princess."

"Psh, in his dreams," Zuko snorted a laugh and then sighed. He thoughtfully ran a finger through his hair. "Yeah…we talked about having a kid or two. But Mai isn't so sure about it. She doesn't admit it out loud, but she's a little afraid that she won't be a good mother. Considering how controlling and serious her own mother was, she's worried that she'll turn out to be the same. And…to be honest, I'm in the same boat. _My_ mother's the best…but when it comes to being a father, I didn't exactly have the greatest role model."

Katara listened as he spoke, her gaze softening in concern. She finished the last of her Waterbending exercises and sent the sphere into the pond again before coming up to ever-so-carefully sit next to him. Her back leaned comfortably against the smooth bark of the tree. "I can imagine how you feel. Aang and I had the same conversation...my mother died when I was too young, and he never really knew his father himself. The only person that came close to a dad to him was Monk Gyatso, his guardian. And I guess the closest person I ever had to a motherly role model growing up was my Gran-Gran."

At that, Zuko's mind flashed back to his first conversational words to Aang—which were more like threats, considering that he'd kidnapped him at the time. _"I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers…being raised by monks."_

The young Fire Lord sighed softly, suppressing the shudder that remembering his complicated past had always brought to him. "Yeah…I really shouldn't be complaining much, huh?"

Katara gave him a warm smile. "Please; you have every right to complain when it comes to Ozai. Having no father at all is better than having one so cruel. To give his own son this," she raised her hand to lightly touch the side of his scar, "Without a shred of remorse…that's not what a father should be like. And besides…you do have Iroh. You always did say that your uncle was more of a father to you."

Zuko turned his good eye to give her a glance and a warm smile in return, though it looked as if such a smile should never play out on his ragged features. "That's true. Uncle would be more than happy to help. He had a son himself that he lost to the war, and ever since, he's seen me as his own. He's better than anyone for fatherly wisdom."

"Well, my dad's not exactly lacking in that department either," Katara laughed. "Aang comes to him for advice all the time, and Dad's happy to give it. We all have pretty unconventional upbringings, but we always have someone to come to." Her hand rested on his shoulder. "Just like you do, Zuko. Believe it or not, you and Mai are both a part of our family. Me, Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki…everyone. You've helped us out a lot, more than we could ever ask for. I know we'd be happy to do the same for you, with your children."

The Fire Lord shrugged, humbled. "There are times I still feel I don't deserve that kindness. But just the same…thanks."

"Anytime at all, Fire Lord," Katara grinned. "Anyway…Aang and I decided that we'll just do the best we can as parents…let our instincts take over and to love our baby as much as we possibly can. I think the same advice would work for you. You know what a father shouldn't be, thanks to Ozai. So be the father _you_ want to be. And tell Mai that she also never has to act like her own mother. Just love your kids and teach them; and they'll grow up following their hearts just as we all did."

Zuko chuckled. "Sage advice. I think Aang's infinite wisdom is getting to you."

"You should try it sometime; wisdom might do you some good," she smirked and jokingly poked his arm.

"I get enough wisdom from Uncle," Zuko pointed out. "Wanna know what he said to me the other day?" He switched the tone of his voice, trying to imitate Iroh's accent. "'Life is like a haiku. It seems to have form and rhyme, but in the end there's always going to be a twist.'" He hummed. "I _still_ have a hard time figuring out what he means."

"It means that life isn't going to flow smoothly, no matter how much you want it to," Katara translated with a laugh. "You of all people should know that one."

"Of course!" Zuko snorted and slammed his palm to his forehead. "Stupid."

"Nah, you're just wisdom-challenged," the Waterbender laughed again, before her face twisted in another wince, her hand coming up to rest on her belly.

Noticing the abrupt change in demeanor, Zuko blinked in concern. "What's up?"

"Nothing bad," Katara reassured with a light smile. "The baby kicked again. He's pretty good at making himself known when he wants to. Wanna feel him?"

The Fire Lord's head snapped up, taken aback by her offer. "…Really? I can?"

She chuckled. "Relax, he won't bite."

"Yeah, but I used to bite," Zuko smirked. "It's just funny…if I went back in time and told my younger self that one of his enemies would someday ask him to feel her baby kicking, he'd have probably laughed his fool head off."

Katara shook her head in amusement at the image. "And if I told my past self she'd be letting a Firebender touch her pregnant stomach, she'd probably retch. But, well, you've changed, you know that. We both have; so I know you won't bite either. C'mon." She reached out and took a hold of his right hand, placing it on a spot on her abdomen where he could feel movement under the fabric of her robe. Nevertheless cautious, he complied.

Tilting his head, Zuko scrutinized the slight lack of movement under his calloused palm. But then, suddenly, he felt a twitch as something impacted the skin close to where he had touched. "Whoa," he admonished with a bit of fascination. "Kid's got energy."

"Just like his dad, I think," Katara snickered. "And I bet it'll be just as nice to feel your own baby kicking in Mai's belly someday."

At the thought, a peaceful smile crossed Zuko's features as he pulled back. "Yeah. Someday soon."

"Good to hear it," the Waterbender chuckled. "If you want my opinion too, I think you'd make a good dad. When we were young and you were traveling with us, you always tried to keep us serious and on task...just helping to keep everyone together; you were smart and knew the right thing to do. Add that to the fact that you cared about everyone's well-being, and you have everything you need for fatherly experience, I think. It probably helped that you were the oldest of all of us after Sokka."

He shrugged, averting his gaze in an almost shy manner. Almost. "I just did what I felt was right. Once I got used to things, it was the _only_ thing I might have done right."

"Or one of the first things," Katara pointed out. "So anyway, did you come here to bug me, or is Aang done training?"

"Both," he joked with a grin. "Actually, I'm taking a break, and he's trying a…"

Suddenly, the air seemed to explode. The entirety of the garden flashed with a flare of flickering light, and a _boom_ ensnared the quiet solemnity of the large garden as a peal of lightning flew into the sky from where Aang had unleashed it.

The air then was still. Even the turtle-ducks had stopped quacking, startled by the close explosion. The two benders blinked in amazement from their spot before Zuko managed to calm his adrenaline-fueled heart. "…Uh, trying to make lightning. Guess he succeeded."

"Aang could always get things right pretty quickly," Katara laughed. "I hope he doesn't do that all the time. He could scare certain people."

Zuko gave her a cautious sideways smile…he knew exactly how much lightning scared the Waterbender. That fateful day in Ba Sing Se's catacombs would never fully leave their memories, no matter how old they got. "Don't worry," the Firebender reassured. "He said he _wanted_ to learn. He hopes that he'll never have to use the power, but it'll be of use if he ever has to fight. Besides, I guess it's a way to face his fears from that day."

"Guess you're right," Katara sighed, smiling. "I'm proud of him."

"So am I," Zuko chuckled. "Funny as it is to admit."

"Not so funny to me," she replied with sincerity, keeping her eyes on Aang's shirtless form as he practiced a few more fire drills before making the downward motion in front of his chest with his hands to signal that he was finished.

After that, he hopped his way toward where his two teachers were relaxing in the shade, grabbing a towel to dry his sweat. "Hey Katara," he smiled warmly. "Did your Waterbending go okay?"

"It did," Katara nodded with a loving smile back to her husband. "No need to worry. The baby's fine, and so am I."

"I'm glad," he softly admonished before turning to Zuko and sparing a bow with the traditional Fire Nation salute. "And thanks for the training, Sifu…"

"—Uh-uh!" Zuko interrupted, standing up and pointing a finger in his face. "I swear, Aang, if you call me 'Sifu Hotman' _one more time,_ I'll have to hurt you."

The Avatar blinked in surprise and gave him an impish grin. "Yeah, right. If you hurt _me_, then Katara would have to kill _you_."

"No way," Zuko snorted in surprise. He'd known that Katara would admit to Aang that she'd once threatened his life over his safety, but it was still a funny thing to remember. "There's no way that threat still stands." Then, with an uncertain eyebrow quirk, he turned back to Katara. "…It doesn't still stand, does it?"

"That depends," the Waterbender said with a rather dangerous grin. "Do you _plan_ on hurting him?"

"Um…well…" Zuko muttered, scratching the back of his head while his eyes darted nervously back and forth.

His two friends erupted in laughter. "Don't worry," Aang said once he found his voice again. "I call you that just to joke around. 'Sifu Zuko' doesn't exactly roll off the tongue."

The Firebender straightened. "You could always call me 'Fire Lord Zuko'," he smirked. "That rolls better."

Aang scratched his chin in brief thought, and then shot him a smirk back. "Nah. I just prefer 'Zuko', 'Sifu Hotman', or simply 'That angry jerk'."

The last one had Katara snickering loudly, while an indignant Zuko crossed his arms and rolled his eyes upward. _This is some family I got myself into,_ he thought.

But as he watched Aang pull his wife back to her feet and take her in his arms, his palms moving reverently across the clothed skin of her swollen womb—and she in turn place a soft kiss on his lips—he observed the happiness radiating like the sun's life-giving light from this very family that he was a part of. The family that he once sought to end…and now had long welcomed him into the midst of their happiness and their loving friendship. He then saw himself and Mai together like that, with a growing child, and the sparkle in his good eye seemed to strengthen behind his bemused smirk.

_Probably not a better family in the entire world to be a part of, though._


	6. Wedded Bliss

((AN: Okay, this...I don't know. xP I swear I first had the idea of some funny wedding night pillow talk about children between our couple, and it turned into pillow talk/rather heavy romance. I guess when your muse wants you to write some rather affectionate Kataang, you can't deny it. :B Regardless, I tried not to go into any detail at all, but I think the implications still skirt a little dangerously around the T rating. See what you all think; I'm not the best judge of that kinda thing. xP So be forewarned, it's kinda bordering on maturity. But mostly shameless Kataanginess because they're just so perfect. x3

Enjoy! In case you're wondering, Aang's 16 and Katara's 18 in this chapter. What with all the world-balancing and stuff they'd have to do, I doubt they'd get married right away on Katara's 16th. I rather like the idea that it'd be on -his- 16th...it's tough to predict though, ain't it? Maybe they'll say something about it on Korra when they air it, though I doubt it...I try to be as close to canon as humanly possible.

May the mighty Mike and Bryan not smite me down for what I do with their characters. Or forgetting to edit a chapter to include crediting them. xP ))

* * *

Many times throughout their sometimes-awkward, always-fulfilling young lives as soul mates, Aang and Katara liked to talk at length about the idea of being married…and especially having children. It was a given that they both thought it a wonderful idea; mostly because it was all a part of envisioning a wonderful future together.

One of the first times that they had spoken seriously of it was, funnily enough, on their wedding night.

The ceremony and ensuing party had been held one very warm spring day at the Southern Air Temple; renovations at the young Avatar's old home had been going well enough that the sacred plot on the mountain was livable again. It was quite the perfect place, the couple figured; while Katara's relatives lived at the Southern Water Tribe, most of their friends wouldn't have been very comfortable trying to brave the biting cold of the icy home of her birth (least of all Toph, who wanted to "see" the goings-on instead of having them explained to her while she had to wear boots to keep her feet from freezing off). They had all decided after some debate that the temple was a most beautiful, symbolic location for a wedding while being conveniently close enough to travel to. And all had agreed…it was not only a happy occasion, but one that even the very spirits seemed to smile upon as it took place. It couldn't have felt more perfect and right if destiny had lent a guiding hand.

Nobody could tell what time the party had finally ended and everyone had retreated to their guest bedrooms in the temple's old residential partitions…but time hadn't mattered as much as the enjoyment that was had by all.

The night was clear and warm, with a light breeze brushing the trees and polished white stones that made up the brickwork of one of the temple's highest towers. It was there that, with a window open to view the myriad of stars and the almost-full moon on display outside of the room, the renovated sleeping quarters had been prepared; and where the Avatar and his bride were making their way, the former warmly carrying the latter in his arms.

Had anyone been listening from inside, they would've eventually heard footsteps and a bit of banter behind the closed wooden door. "Here we are…oh, crud, I forgot I locked it," Aang's voice muttered.

"Locked it, seriously?" Katara's voice snorted back. "Just put me down and open it."

"No, I got this, hang on," he insisted. With a swift kick of his foot, he sent a blast of air into the door and immediately flung it nearly off its hinges while still holding her. She was laughing as her arms were practically cemented around his neck. He grunted as he brought his foot back down again at the threshold, only to catch his other one at the slight step on the door-frame and nearly topple them both over with simultaneous yelps.

"Sorry," he gave Katara a sheepish grin as he straightened himself again and nestled her closer to his body. "Didn't drop you yet."

"'Yet' being the key word," she sighed, leaning her head on him. "Isn't it supposed to be a bad omen if you trip at the door?"

"Nah, that's only if the _bride_ trips at the door," he corrected, lightly flinging the door closed again with the heel of his foot and taking a few steps toward the bed. "That's why she has to be carried. I don't think it's bad luck if the groom's just a clumsy idiot."

"Psh, you? Clumsy?" Katara playfully pressed.

Then, as if the irony of the situation wasn't done toying with them, Aang let out a yelp before he could answer and tripped again as his legs hit the edge of the bed. This time, the two of them tumbled together into the warm sheets, eliciting mirthful laughter as they untangled, rolled away, and tried to regain their composure.

"That was smooth," Aang snorted, looking up at his new wife with an awkward blush. "See? Clumsy."

But despite the endearing way the young Airbender always played at nervousness when he messed up around her, Katara proved herself ever-lighthearted and let out another laugh as she sat up and straightened her dress out. She comfortably removed the long blue-and-white fur cloak and shoes; leaving her in a similarly-colored strapless gown. Watching her, Aang couldn't help but note that it made her look absolutely ravishing for about the millionth time that day.

"This from a guy who can dance like nothing else," she pointed out and lounged back on her arms. "You _proudly_ answer to 'Twinkletoes' half the time, for goodness' sake."

"At least I know you enjoy the dancing," he grinned back, removing his shawl and wooden necklace for his own comfort. His wedding attire had been a little simpler than hers—a different version of his formal Air Nomad clothes with a longer shawl, all perfectly white with a few trimmings of gold, blue and red along the edges—but Katara thought that he had never looked more handsome nonetheless. He lounged next to her and looked back to the beautiful features of her face with a soft sigh. "You're the only one who can ever break my balance, anyway."

"Heh," she breathed, letting a splash of ruby color her cheeks at his compliment. She sidled closer to him. "And you mine, really."

It was then Aang's turn to blush. As he pulled her into a tight embrace, the two of them resting side-by-side on the soft mattress, they easily took their time just enjoying the comforting silence and the warmth that they lent to each other. The room was illuminated mostly by the moon out of the window just above the bed, but two circles of flickering candles set on opposite sides of the walls provided the space with a soft orange glow. The room looked so new and beautiful, tranquil, and almost holy.

As Aang was gazing outside at the stars, Katara lay on his chest with her eyes to the room itself as they lingered on every detail that he'd prepared just for them earlier. Now that she had a chance to really look at it…with the decorative drapes on the walls that carried the Air Nomad insignia and the newly-clean white bricks amid the enveloping darkness…the candles that had been lit before their arrival and the lingering scent of flowers from the breeze outside…she felt overwhelmed with happiness at the day that had just transpired. Knowing that her husband…Aang, her _husband…_had done all of this for her had made her entire body flush with warmth.

She let out a quiet sigh and shifted a little, which caused him to glance at her with curiosity. Her cheeks were lit up, and while her eyes held happiness, other thoughts were betrayed by her teeth biting on her lip.

"Are you alright, Katara?" he had gently questioned, letting his curled fingers brush her cheek.

She turned her head to look into his warm gray eyes, smiling shyly. "Yeah…I'm just a little…jittery, I suppose," she confessed. "You know what this night's supposed to symbolize and…consist of…right?"

"…I do," he nodded with a streak of crimson also painting his cheeks. Because his skin was pale compared to hers, his blush always seemed much brighter to her. "Sokka was kinda explaining it to me during the party. Several times. Nonstop." He groaned and rolled his eyes. "I'll just say this; he's pretty talkative when he's had a _bit_ too much to drink."

"Like the whole cactus juice thing didn't prove that a long time ago," Katara let out a shaky laugh. "I'm surprised he tried to discuss it with you at all."

"Yeah, it also caught me off-guard," he laughed with her and idly scratched the back of his head. "But, you're not alone…I'm a little nervous too, to be honest." Continuing to comfortingly stroke her cheek with his fingers, Aang gave her a warm and sincere expression. "But…I'm still so happy after today, everything that's happened…I don't want to be worried about anything." He leaned his forehead forward to touch hers. "I'm perfectly happy even just being here and sharing this night with you. We can just lay here and talk, if that will make you feel better too. We have the whole night. Just you and me."

Warmed and reassured by his words, Katara leaned onto him again and wrapped her arms around his body. "It'll make it easier," she admitted in a whisper. "It's nice to have the whole night to spend alone with you without interruptions for once. You sure you can stay awake, though?"

He chuckled in response; she rather liked how the action sent a few waves through the tight muscles on his torso, felt through his soft wedding tunic. "I'm not tired at all. I'm still buzzing with energy from the party. Though, I _think_ maybe that's because I might've had too much cake," he self-consciously grinned.

"You _think?"_ she joked and looked back up at him. "Toph dared you to inhale half of it, and you _did."_

"Note to self," he muttered. "Never take a dare from a tipsy Earthbender."

Katara laughed, the last of her nervousness melting away entirely. It was a blessing, how the love of her life could also comfort her in a way that only a best friend could. "Whatever. Anyway, I'm not tired either. I don't know if it's because the moon's almost full, or if…it's just the euphoria, like you said. I'm so happy…I can't even begin to describe how happy. Today was…oh…just…"

She met Aang's gaze, and he thought that he'd never seen such a smile on her face before. Had she _ever_ looked and felt so radiant, as if to burst with an inner light? And it made him feel a little humbled, knowing that he was the one who was giving her that happiness.

"Can you believe it?" she whispered. "We're _married _now, Aang. _Married._" She repeated the word twice more under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief…the Waterbender wondered if she'd ever get used to saying it or thinking of what it had meant to them in that moment. "Where does the time go?"

"Married," he echoed with just as much disbelief, holding her closer to him. "It feels like only yesterday we were young and getting our fortunes from Aunt Wu about that. Now it came true."

"It's like a dream…" Katara breathed, her cheek nestling on his shoulder. "But I'm not waking up."

"Nah…it's real," he argued, softly brushing his fingers through her dark brown hair. He loosened it fully from its styled bun in the process, but she didn't react…she allowed him to. The slow feeling of his combing motion in her locks sent gentle chills through her skin.

The monk enjoyed the blissful expression on her face for a few moments. Then, his eyes wandered to the sky as he continued to muse, as if silently thanking the spirits themselves for allowing them their happiness. "The girl of my dreams is now my wife. What would…man…what would my old friends say to that? What would Gyatso say?"

"Gyatso?" Katara hummed, just as curious about the answer as he was. "Well...you knew him better than I ever would, but I imagine he'd be happy for you. And surprised that you chose to marry a Waterbender. Or really, marry at all."

The statement made him snort and give her a quirked eyebrow. "You still don't believe the myth that the Air Nomads were like any other monks, do you? We were all spiritually enlightened monks and nuns, true…but we could still fall in love and have children, even though most of us chose detachment from worldly needs."

He drew in a long breath and let it out slowly, as he always did when dealing with the slight pain that came from talking about his lost nation. The action caused Katara to rest her hand on his shoulder in concern. "Still though," he hummed, "Maybe I'm one of the only Air Nomad Avatars to want to mostly choose love and happiness over power and responsibility."

"Maybe," she shrugged, following his gaze to the air in front of him…even when she was there physically with Aang, sometimes she still wanted to join him in his mind as well. Her soft laugh brought him out of his thoughts. "But, yeah. I sometimes forget that. You'll have to teach me more about the Air Nomads. I get so curious about your culture. Like, even though you still detached yourselves from things, how you would still _learn_ about love and making babies."

He let out a brief closed-mouthed laugh. "Oh, that was easy to learn." He relaxed further into the bed, pulling her with him as he lay on his back and remembered days long past. "How we learned the facts of life…" he suddenly snickered, the blush returning to his cheeks. "Well, here's the thing: we used to let lots of animals live around us at the Air Temples. Like the bison, the lemurs, birds, and so forth. And, well…they aren't as modest as people are…now, try to picture of one of us catching sight of them…"

There was a pause. Then, suddenly, Katara interrupted the serenity with a loud snort, trying and failing to hold in her laughter. She rolled away from him, holding her sides as she convulsed with heavy amusement.

The Airbender laughed with her for a second and sat up, tilting his head. "What the heck is so funny?" he grinned.

Still laughing, the Waterbender tried to form words. "Haah…I'm sorry, it's just…when you said that…I got this image of—HA!—of Momo trying to give you the talk…" she clamped her hand over her mouth to hold it in.

Aang blinked a second before joining her in laughter, shaking his head. "Well, I did daydream that Momo talked once. That'd actually be _very_ awkward, now that you put the idea there."

"Hee…sorry," Katara said as the laughter died down, her heavy breathing replacing the humorous mirth as she wiped a tear from her eye. "But I do get the picture."

Aang smiled, patiently waiting for her serious countenance to reappear before continuing. He lay back on the bed again. "The monks said that while the emotion of lust was another thing that could be done without…true love could be shared between two people. For them, that meant other Air Nomads. But still, you had a spiritual, unbreakable bond, and children were a result of that bond. The point is…because we were so in touch with nature, there was no shame in knowing how the precious lives all around us came into being. And that among both humans and animals, it was…" his voice grew soft after he paused, "…It was the closest and most sincere declaration of love."

His wife hummed thoughtfully as she rolled back over to him, her arm snaking around his chest. "I like it when it's put like that. So many people in other cultures believe making love to be something shameful, but not your culture."

"Because we were free and unrestrained from concerns that held us back," Aang finished. He then looked down at her with a soft smirk. "So, why don't you tell me how _you_ were taught the facts of life? Since you found mine so amusing."

"Me?" Katara blinked in surprise, and then let out an embarrassed groan as she hid her eyes on his arm. "This conversation's a little weird."

"C'mon, you asked me, now I'm curious about you," the monk drew as he softly cupped her face with his hands, meeting her gaze. "So share. How'd you learn about babies?"

Her eyes rolled, but she complied. After all, he had always opened up to her…she sometimes had to learn to open up to _him_ a bit more in return. Reminded of that, Katara relaxed and let her mind wander into her own memories. "Gran-Gran," she simply murmured.

Aang nodded in understanding; the kind old woman, whom he'd almost thought of like his own grandmother, had been a guiding figure in her life for everything. There was much owed her for Katara's upbringing, perhaps more so than her own parents.

She continued, reliving the few fond times that she had in the Southern Water Tribe. "You can probably guess how I learned…I had to help her with delivering babies, and plenty of them. Our pets and animals, or some of the expectant mothers…much of the youngest kids in the tribe that you met the first time? I helped bring them into the world. So you imagine at some point, I was taught how it all happened. Me and Sokka, though he didn't pay attention quite as much," she snickered. "In the end, it was easy to know and accept as a part of life too. As a tribal people, we weren't out of touch with nature, same as you."

"That's reasonable," the monk nodded in understanding, smiling fondly at the brief memory of their journey through the Serpent's Pass, when Katara had to end up helping to deliver a baby herself. "You'd be a natural mother, you know."

Katara felt her face flush with warmth as she regarded her husband. "You think so?"

"I know so," he answered, pulling her close. "I know I've said it a million times, but it's still true."

At that, they both fell into a thoughtful and comfortable silence. The encompassing warmth of the room helped their energized minds find peace in each other's presence, and all at once, they found themselves moving closer…as if almost on instinct, searching out their other half.

With a slight shift in his arms, Katara slid over him so that her torso lay directly upon his, her arms crossed over his chest and their faces close. Though his countenance was serene, the Water Tribe woman could feel his heart racing beneath her palms at the proximity of their bodies. They could feel each other's quiet breathing and their scents mingling slowly. When he reached up and continued to comb his fingers through the waves of her hair and lingered at a bare spot between her shoulder blades, she could feel her own restless heart thunder in harmony.

"I know we've discussed this too many times, but…" Katara started with a shy smile, "You do want kids, don't you, Aang?"

He tilted his head, giving her his warm, happy look that she loved so. "You know I do. Katara…having a family with you, as my wife…living this future that I've only dreamed about for so long and more so with the world at peace…I…" he closed his eyes. "I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to have kids together."

She blushed at his words. "I feel the same. I've always loved kids and thought of having my own…dreamed about it, never thought I would leave the tribe and let it happen…but it did. It's just one of the many reasons that I'm glad I find you in that iceberg when I did," she chuckled.

Aang returned her words with a blissful smile. His right palm was lovingly caressing her back while the other cupped her cheek. "I'm glad too. Destiny was working with us that day."

"Never doubted that for a moment," she breathed, lifting herself so that she could move forward, closer to his face. Their eyes closed, and she anticipated her lips meeting with those of the man she was indeed destined for.

Or so she thought would happen. Suddenly, she turned her head as a yawn fought its way between her jaws. Shaking her head to be rid of the sleepy attack, she met Aang's eyes as they looked wide and sad. "…What?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"You're tired," he remarked and feigned disappointment as he sat up with her. "You said you weren't tired."

"Oh, I am not!" she scoffed, turning her head. "I said I'd stay awake."

Aang laughed, squeezing her in a tight embrace as she scooted to sit comfortably on his lap. "I believe you. But hey, if you aren't sleepy…maybe I'm being boring?" he offered with an innocent grin.

"_What?_" she squeaked, her head whipped around to face him again. "Boring? _Please,_ that's like saying Mai is an uncontrollable ball of sunshine! You're not boring at all."

"Naw, don't deny it," he kept up the teasing, letting go of her and falling backwards onto the mattress again as if in dejection. "Admit it; I'm boring you to death."

Katara's cheeks reddened in frustration of his playfulness. "Will you stop? I told you, Aang, you're not boring! You're absolutely…"

A long pause ensued as the last word drained into silence. Katara leaned herself down and bore with sincerity into the Airbender's gaze. He watched her back, hypnotized and intrigued by the intense look in her eyes that softened with every second. Affectionately, Katara traced her fingers along his cheek and jaw line. The words of adoration spilled out of her without hesitation. "You're absolutely the opposite. You're funny, and so full of life and joy and such…spirit. You're amazing, and…"

He kept regarding her with that wordless smile and those wide, expressive eyes. His deep crimson blush at her words still effortlessly charmed her. She let out a soft breath as her hands trailed over his tunic, his muscles easily felt underneath, while her gaze kept locked to his own. "There are no words," she finally relayed. "You're just perfect."

"Hardly," he chuckled, running his fingers over the tan skin on her arms. The blush refused to leave his face. "Nobody's perfect, not even the Avatar. But I'll take it anyway."

"I'd hoped you would," she joked, closing her eyes and moving herself back down to him. Katara knew that she was starting to lose all conscious thought to her emotions; something of an effect that only he had on her. As she left a kiss on his cheek and breathed over a soft spot near his ear, she felt Aang's grip on her arms tighten just a little; and she was right in assuming that she had the same power over him. "I'm just wondering if you find _me_ boring. It's our wedding night, and all we're doing is talking," she drew back and gave him a light-hearted grin.

Though he knew she was just being playful, the young monk felt the heavy need to refute her words. "Or maybe I'm making sure that you're comfortable so I don't end up hurting you," he replied with a soft smile back. "And I don't want you to ever think that I find you boring or unacceptable. You're my world, my life, my everything. You've always been. And…"

Aang found his voice dropping to a low murmur as his eyes grew half-lidded, taking in every bit of what he could see of her through the darkness and soft lights of the room. Ever since their first almost-kiss in the Cave of Two Lovers, he liked how candlelight looked on her face, put a flickering glow in her eyes, and had to make him squint to see every detail of her as if the light would slowly fade.

"You're most beautiful woman in the whole world," he finally breathed.

"The world?" she incredulously echoed, feeling her face—her entire body—go warm. She averted her gaze. "Please, Aang, don't be flattering. Not in the whole _world._"

"It's true!" he argued, sitting himself up to hold her close, so that she could _feel_ as well as hear every word coming out of him. "I'm not saying it to flatter you right now. Trust me."

"Right," Katara laughed, playfully poking him in the chest. "Have you ever _seen_ all the women in the world?"

"Well…no," the young Air Nomad admitted. "But to be honest, I don't even want to see any other woman the way I see you. I _love_ you. And I'm going to be saying it every day until we're old and on our death bed, and even afterward. You…" he paused, placing his warm cheek against her own. "Are…" he breathed into her ear and onto her neck. _"Beautiful."_

The last word, the way he said it and the way the air traveled from him onto her bare shoulder as he did, ripped a tremor out of her body. A gasp escaped through her lips, and her fingers scrunched the fabric of his tunic…both blood-racing reactions from his bride causing him to shiver a little as well.

For that moment they held one another, breathing softly so that they could only hear their loved one above the persistent wind outside of their window. Aang embraced her tightly, almost afraid to let go, and she nestled against him with the same frame of mind, hardly wanting to break from his touch.

"Do I deserve that from you, really?" she asked, her voice muffling in his clothing.

"You deserved it ever since you set me free," Aang reassured. "And every time you saved my life."

"Okay," she whispered with a half-laugh, convinced. "I guess if you say it, it's true. Who in the world is gonna argue with the Avatar?"

"Hah," he smirked against her skin before pulling away just slightly to take in the smooth features of her face and the ocean blue eyes that belonged to the one that anchored him to the world. "Nobody, that's who."

Her only reply was a curl of her lips into a light smile. She looked into his stormy gaze again, and he felt his breath quickly leaving his lungs. The look that Katara gave him was inscrutable; indescribable…seductive, adoring, playful, wanting…all of those descriptions weren't acceptable alone to tell him what it was. It was all of them together and more, every feeling for him in that moment, expressed in those clear depths without a word spoken. Aang was pretty sure that he couldn't hear the wind anymore. He only heard the loud and steady pulse of his heart in his ears. The room vanished, and he only saw her face. And she only saw him…only wanted to see him.

Before he knew it, one of her hands had reached over his shoulder and gripped the back of his collar. The other trailed feather touches on his neck and pulled him forward to her. Eyes closed again. Breathing stilled, and heartbeats melded into one sound.

The kiss they shared was slow and passionate. It was not just meant to convey their love…it was meant to cement their hearts through the sensitive touch of their lips. As it deepened, it was meant to explore, demand, and gently dominate the other.

"Katara…" he whispered between those long kisses, respectfully accentuating every note of her name. It was a name he always thought beautiful, befitting every bit of her personality. Kind, caring, dangerous, ferocious, passionate…a fighter and a healer. His friend and teacher. The one he owed the world to. His wife. No amount of devotion could be given to her that wasn't swimming in the tone of her name with his voice.

The spell it put her under couldn't be denied either. "Aang…" she murmured against his lips as she was pulled with him into the bed again. His own name was simple and delicate, only one syllable…but in the breath that it took to say it, it gave away all about him that it needed to convey. Spirited, joyful, lover of life, trustworthy beyond a shadow of a doubt…a savior, a friend to those who deserved it, and the one holding within him more horrendous power than most people could begin to fathom. He too was revered with his name in her captured breath. This precious Airbender gave her freedom and life…as the Avatar, he gave her hope…as her husband, he gave her strength and everlasting love.

Even before, when they were young and tentative with their intimacy, they never took the other for granted. The same held true even that night, when they allowed their restraint to be shed. Hands wandered in slow abandon, clothes were pulled away, but the kiss went on with closed eyelids and a hold that they didn't dare break.

At one point, finally, they opened their eyes again…faces so very close, frozen in the sheets. Katara had been turned onto her back—whichever of them had moved them that way, neither ever knew—and Aang hovered right above her. They were breathing heavily together, their faces flushed, body heat warming each other with nothing holding it back. Swimming in both of their eyes was a feeling that neither could ever get used to when they showed it. It was love, passion, and absolute _need. _Tui and La, Yin and Yang…balance defined them, and the need for it urged them to confirm with their bodies what had already transpired between their souls.

Exchanging his breath with hers, Aang's head lowered so that his lips brushed over her ear. "You're still not tired yet, are you?" he inquired in _such _a quiet way…it was as if his words were for her hearing and hers alone…no other air space in the room could share his voice.

"No," she answered in a similar manner. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and it happened in waves wherever he touched. "You?"

Her adoring voice, her scent, the way her hair fell in waves similar to the element she commanded…all of it had the exact same affect on him. Spirits above and beyond, he _couldn't_ deny it.

"I don't think so…" he all but groaned as his lips met hers again.

Beginning like a gentle breeze upon a puddle and ending like the churning torrent of a hurricane, the heavens witnessed as an Airbender collided with a Waterbender, and finally made each other truly complete.


	7. Anniversary

((AN: Children are so cute, especially to write. x3 Probably have to wait for the canon confirmation of whether Sokka has a kid with Suki, but until then, it was enjoyable coming up with a fan-spawn in Kimiye, and the affect she has on our heroes. Also playing around with the reality of the lasting effects of war on the psyche, especially when one has to endure it at the ages that they were.

I try to keep it light-hearted despite it, though. x3 The next chapter will probably be a continuation of this one, joining Aang and Katara on their anniversary trip and their conversation. As for those of you who might be waiting for a story with little Tenzin in it, don't worry, I'll get there. :3

Mike and Bryan own all and sundry here, not me, and I'm glad I don't, because I'd have ruined it. xP And thank you all for your very kind comments! ^^ ))

* * *

"Eeeeheehee!"

At the sudden high-pitched sound of mirthful laughter echoing in the hall outside of the bedroom, Katara's eyes shot open, and then narrowed in recognition. _Looks like Sokka's here,_ she thought with an exasperated, but happy, sigh. _And of course he brought Kimiye._

With a sleepy groan, the Waterbender sat up and stretched her limbs, only pausing when her abdomen wrenched just a little at the motion. In her fourth month of pregnancy, she was ever-so-slowly getting used to having a slightly larger stomach…though there were moments of discomfort that caused her to wonder just _how_ used to it she would be before she was soon desperately wishing for the baby to be born.

Despite that, she gave a little smile as she trailed her hand over the bump under her sheets. _I can hardly wait, little one. Wait'll you see what's in store for you here._

"C'mon, get back here!" she suddenly heard Sokka's voice wailing from downstairs. No doubt, he was chasing after his rather spirited two-year-old daughter. "You got to walking like a year ago; can't you _wait_ on running?"

"EEK! Ahaha!" Kimiye could be heard in reply, quite enjoying the fact that she could give her father quite a run-around. But of course, he was only playing with her; the warrior could easily catch up to her in a pinch. _…Like your Uncle Sokka. Still; he could've let me sleep…_his rather bemused sister thought as she ordered herself on her feet and got dressed. The mid-morning sunlight shone warmly into the windows, and the wind brought with it the fragrance of flowers as it fluttered through the drapes. The spring day bore the usual feelings of renewal and rejuvenation for the world, and though it was the season most associated with the element of earth, a pregnant Waterbender could still find it refreshing to breathe the air and bask in the aura. Especially on _that _spring day.

A soft blush crossed Katara's face as she looked to the empty spot on the bed beside her. She had felt Aang wake up much earlier that morning, lean in to leave a lingering kiss on her cheek, and plead in a whisper for her to sleep in; and that he'd be back later. She complied, but was too tired at the time to contemplate why he was gone that day until her waking hours. _Our anniversary…we were married four years ago today. I wonder what he's got planned this time._ She permitted a grin on her lips. One thing she liked about the Airbender; he never ran out of good ideas.

Thus, it left her some free time that day to think of something to do for him in return. But first, there were visitors…they were expecting Sokka and Suki to visit too, and Katara always liked to get back in touch with her brother and friend…and her young niece, of course, who was growing like a weed.

Once she looked fairly presentable in her loosely-worn Water Tribe dress (she'd soon have to find something a little more comfortable around the middle to wear soon, she realized) Katara strolled down to where she was hearing the commotion, near the living area of their little residential spot in the Southern Air Temple.

The first thing she saw was little Kimiye, toddling with a bit of swiftness around the corner. As soon as her wide blue eyes caught sight of Katara, she squealed in joy. "Auntie 'Ta'a!"

The Waterbender laughed and reached down to scoop the energetic child in her arms. "Well hi, Kimiye! Where's your dad?"

"Da!" she shouted out into the hallway and beamed back at her aunt. The little girl almost seemed a perfect match to her mother, except she had Sokka's brown hair and was a half-step from the dark tone of his skin. "Auntie 'Ta'a see Da!"

She chuckled again as she carried her into the living room. "It's 'Ka-ta-ra', Kim. Can you say 'Katara'?"

The child's face was quizzical, but she was still bouncy nonetheless. "K'ta!"

"Try again," the Waterbender grinned and poked her nose. "Ka-ta-ra."

"Katta!" Kimiye laughed, and her aunt just spared a slight roll of her eyes.

In the living room, she finally spotted her older brother, sprawled on his back on the couch. As soon as he caught sight of his sister and daughter, he snorted. "Thanks for catching her. She's wearin' me out."

"Well, that's what you get for having a kid with a Kyoshi Warrior," Katara grinned back as she set her niece on the floor to rush to where her father was laying. "A kid that's just too cute. She's almost got my name right."

"I wouldn't put my hopes up," Sokka snickered. "I still can't get her to call me 'Dad', or 'Daddy'. It's just 'Da', like she cut the letter off."

"Funny, she knows perfectly who her mom is," Suki cut in, having listened to the conversation from the hallway before bringing in her pack and setting it to the floor. To press the point home, Kimiye belted out a loud "Mama!" before rushing to her.

"Gr," Sokka grumbled and let his head bounce off the pillow. "At least she can't pronounce Aang's name right yet. And his is the easiest one!"

Although that was true, the child still easily recognized the name of her beloved uncle. She perked up and blinked at Katara. "Unca' Amg?"

The Water Tribe woman spared a little giggle. "Uncle Aang's not here right now, Kim. You'll probably see him later."

"Aw," she pouted, causing the three adults to chuckle. Although the girl loved all of the adults around her, family and godparents alike, it was Aang that she warmed up to first as a playmate, and he was only happy to comply; it made he and Katara the first choice one had for babysitters.

Sighing, Katara walked up and embraced her brother and his wife. "I'm glad you three arrived safely. How are things going at home?"

"Good, but slightly stressful for Dad," Sokka admitted with an annoyed groan. "He's been arguing nonstop with the councilmen from the Northern Tribe about policies on integrating our cultures' traditions a bit more. Like, they want us to consider the possibility of allowing arranged marriages, and where to have the New Moon Celebration, things like that."

"Oh, great," Katara's eyes rolled. "I hope they don't go forward with it. Our tribe is small, but it still has a culture of its own…we're still looking up the history for it. And you and I both know how we feel about arranged marriages anyway."

"Agreed," Sokka nodded, sparing a soft glance to Suki. "But, hey, as long as they resolve it peacefully, that's all I care about. We already adopted a tradition of theirs anyway; the betrothal necklace thing."

At that, Katara reverently brought her fingers up to the necklace she wore that Aang had given her when he proposed. Although she hadn't known what the necklace had meant until she wore her mother's to their first trip to the North Pole all so long ago, as it was wholly unknown to their little village (save for Kanna), the young Airbender had still wanted something referencing the culture of Water to give to her. Likewise, Sokka found it a good idea to make one for Suki when he proposed long before that. They'd called them "engagement" necklaces instead, to cement the fact that Katara and Sokka had both happily chosen their soul mates.

"So, speaking of you two," Sokka began with a smile as he regarded the slight showing of Katara's belly, "How's my little nephew coming along?"

"Nephew?" his sister echoed incredulously. "How do you know it won't be a niece?"

"Uncle's intuition," he responded in a sage fashion with his index finger raised. "I'm gonna be right about this one, trust me."

"You weren't right about our daughter," Suki muttered. "Seriously, Sokka."

"Once a sexist, always a sexist," Katara smirked.

"Am not!" Sokka snorted. But his face instantly melted the moment that Suki placed his daughter on his stomach and she started playing with his shirt. "Aw," he gushed, holding her up. "Who's a purdy kid? You are…that's right!"

The women laughed. "Anyway, Sokka, no need to worry. Things are healthy and normal so far," Katara pointed out, her palm flattening on the smooth surface.

"Aang must be so proud," Suki smiled, her head tilted as she watched her friend. "Say, today's your anniversary, isn't it?"

"It is," Katara smiled. "That's why I think he jumped out so early this morning. He might be planning something."

Sokka narrowed his eyes at his sister. "There aren't gonna be any shenanigans we shouldn't be walking in on, are there? Remember, there's a kid present." He laid his hand on Kimiye's head, causing her to giggle, heedless to the conversation going on around her and only focused on her fun.

The Waterbender quirked an eyebrow. "Sokka, please, give us _some_ credit. We do have courtesy for guests."

"Just warning you, sis, I've got my eye on you guys," he deadpanned with the appropriate hand gesture.

Suki snorted. "Anyway, Katara, I'm glad that you two are going well together. I think you'll be the happiest parents in the world once your kid arrives. They're a lot of work, but they're such a joy."

"I don't doubt that," she smiled back to her sister-in-law and came to sit down on the chair next to her. "I've been ready for a baby and all of the work that comes with it…ever since we got married. It's like a reward for me for all of the hard work that we had to go through to bring peace to this world again."

"Well, it _is_ rewarding," Sokka smiled as he watched Kimiye scramble off of him and walk towards his sister. "And a little sad, knowing you'll have to watch them grow up someday."

"That's what you work toward," Suki softly admonished as her daughter begged the Waterbender to pick her up. "Preparing them so that they have a good influence on the world too."

As Katara met her niece's deep blue eyes and pulled her into her lap, she thought over everything that was said…and further back into the past, everything that had happened to them.

Admittedly, the war was always going to sit in the back of their minds, no matter how they managed to live…what they all had overcome was neither glorious nor heroic, and the scars would always be there to prove it…mentally and physically. There would always be a lingering fear that she would lose everything she had. Aang, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Suki…everyone in their little group had their fears and nightmares. The best that they could have done for it was to live for hope.

They now lived for their children. And through Kimiye's innocent smile, Katara found something to look forward to in her own child. She knew that they would never bear the pain that their parents did…she hoped that the stories told to them would only give them the incentive to take the world head-on and with no fear, suffering, or sacrifice.

"Auntie K'tara," the small girl chirped, interrupting the Waterbender's thoughts with a light tug on her hair. "Hungry."

"I second that," Sokka declared as he swung his legs over the edge of the couch. "Let's hustle to the kitchen and whip up some grub, women."

With simultaneous grumbles of annoyance from his sister and wife, Katara took Kimiye and handed her to Sokka. "Okay, big brother," she mocked, "_We _will cook breakfast. _You_ will change her."

Blinking in disgust as soon as he could smell the odor, and casting an annoyed glare to the two smug females leaving the room, he held his daughter to his face and narrowed his eyes. "You are _so_ getting potty-trained later."

"Potty!" Kimiye repeated with a loud giggle, finding the word rather funny as a child would.

Sokka's expression softened once more. "Gaaaaah…you're too cute…and you seem to have my sense of humor too. So, my little warrior girl, wanna go help your mother and your aunt in the kitchen?"

Little more than heedless of his words, Kimiye simply let out a giggle and playfully reached out to squeeze his nose.

"Myeah, din't thinkg zo," he mumbled over his closed nostrils with a smirk as he traced their steps to the door and grabbed a clean piece of linen on the way.

* * *

A little later on in the afternoon, as the sun and its warmth was slowly making its way to the other side of the sky, it witnessed a portion of a small family having fun in and out of an Air Temple that was long neglected without the presence of a child's laughter. The three friends caught up more while they let Kimiye wander and explore all the little niches that she could find. After lunchtime, she was finally exhausted and taken inside for a nap.

Katara volunteered to take her, mostly after seeing Sokka's over-exaggerated display of lethargy. But she was always more than happy to spend time with her niece, especially as she often never saw her brother and his family for weeks on end. _I'll bet Aang misses traveling around with everyone together as much as I do,_ she mused. _Who'd have thought that such a ragtag bunch of kids would have a future like this?_

The Waterbender placed the child in the residential bedroom reserved for Sokka's family, wrapped warmly and comfortably, and she was asleep within moments. For a time, she watched her as she slumbered. So peaceful and so devoid of troubles…_did any of us ever sleep like that with a war going on?_ Katara couldn't help but wonder. _Mom…did you ever watch us sleep? Were you happy for us, or afraid?_

Suddenly, she felt tears coming on. Shaking her head, she bit them back. _Come ON…what would Aang say? You've chastised HIM too many times for dwelling on the past. It's over. There's no reason to fear anymore._

Opening her eyes again, Kimiye was still asleep and free of any worry. She probably wouldn't have yet even had nightmares that rivaled those of her mother and father, or her aunt and uncle. _The scars don't go away, though,_ a part of Katara's mind reminded her, and she found herself praying that the child that she carried…and her niece…would never see it.

After a few moments lost in her musings, there was a sound at the window like a rush of air. An updraft disturbed the curtains, and in her range of hearing, there was a light _tap_ on the ledge as if something landed there.

Knowing exactly who it was that could bring an unnatural gust of wind with him, the Waterbender spoke in a loud enough whisper to hear, without turning to the window. "Don't you ever use a door?"

"What, and be bound by gravity like you guys? No thanks," the presence whispered back. With a grin on her features, Katara turned to face a familiar arrow-clad monk sitting on the windowsill, his staff in hand. The Airbender gave her a warm smile in return before turning his head to regard the child still fast asleep in the blankets. "Did she just fall asleep?"

"Yep," Katara chuckled quietly and stepped up next to him, following his gaze. "Too bad, too; she's been asking for 'Uncle Aang' to come and play with her all day."

Her husband snickered as he quietly set his feet to the floor and stood up. "Well, she can wait for a little bit. They're staying for a week, aren't they?"

"Or so," Katara murmured. "Who knows how long that is when Sokka estimates."

"Yeah, really…but, who cares how long it is," Aang admonished with a shrug as one of his arms wrapped around her waist and held her close. "I've been starting to miss everybody."

"You too, huh?" his wife sighed as she leaned into him.

"Always."

For a while, the two of them watched Kimiye sleep. Then, Aang broke the silence with his quiet, ever-thoughtful voice. "You're probably going to kill me for dwelling on the past again…but sometimes, just for a second, I forget why I did everything that I did…and had to fight so hard and hurt so much. Then I look at you, and her, and I know."

To his slight surprise, Katara nodded. "It's not just you, Aang. I've been thinking it too. We have no reason to worry anymore, but there are days when it just…comes back to hit you, you know? Even after eight years. Who'd have thought war was supposed to be like that? We were far too young to have seen the sacrifice that we did."

His stormy eyes closed, and he pulled Katara close against him in a tight embrace. He wanted to feel that she was indeed standing there with him, and that he wasn't living a very long dream. She reached up to his back and gripped his warm robes in return. In his arms, she knew that she could let her tears flow without remorse. And she knew where his scars were, too…it was white and ghosted over with time, but the lightning burn had still not disappeared from where it broke the arrow on his back. But the way he grasped her, so tight and so fierce, told her that he was still voicing his silent thanks to her for saving his life even after all that time. They were there for each other, and because of each other…it only took them an embrace to remind them of it and banish the worries of the past.

When they could regain their composure again, both gaining and lending their strength to the other, Katara broke from him and let out a quiet laugh. "I could never forget why I married you, though."

"I'm irresistible?" he said with an innocent, toothy grin.

Katara bit back a loud snort. "Oh, right, you were always just so charming and smooth, Mr. 'I'd rather kiss you than die'."

"Well hey, if the universe gave me that option…" he meaningfully quirked his eyebrows.

With another snort, she tugged at his arm. "C'mon, goofball, let's let her sleep."

Quietly, they tip-toed out of the room and pulled the door closed with a feathery _click_ at the latch. They strolled down the ornate hallway until they were out of earshot, and then the Waterbender curiously faced her husband with her arms crossed. "So, just where were you all day?"

"Sorry, can't tell you," he stated in an off-hand way, clasping his hands behind his back. "It's a surprise."

"Oh really."

"Really."

"Heh," laughed Katara. Suddenly she was drawing close, placing her palms on his chest as her face closed in on his, eyes glittering and with a bit of a purr in the tone of her voice. "It couldn't possibly be an anniversary surprise for your wife?"

"Whatever gave you _that_ idea?" Aang said with a mock scoff. His face twisted into a wry grin before he gave a sneaky kiss to her lips.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, stepping back and indignantly resting her hands on her hips. "Well, if that's how you'll play it, smart guy…" She turned around and sent a rather wicked grin over her shoulder in return. "…I guess you'll never figure out _my _surprise."

He blinked, tilting his head. "What is it?"

"Sorry, can't tell you," she echoed, innocently humming as she walked away.

"Ugh! That's not fair, Katara!" he laughed as he ran to catch up with her.

"You know what they say," The Water Tribe woman called as she turned and raised a hand. "All's fair in love, and…"

With the swiftness that only a Master could manage, she willed what water could be gathered from the warm, cloudy air and froze them on her hands, flinging the ice crystals to the floor at his feet and making him flip out of the way in surprise.

"…In war," she finished with a smirk.

Dumbfounded, Aang watched as she gave him a smug smile and started walking away again. "Oh yeah…?" he murmured a laugh before adopting a quick stance. With a whirl of his arms, a blast of wind was summoned towards him.

Suddenly, Katara yelped as she found herself flung back, only to be gently caught and wrapped tightly in the arms of a devious Airbender.

As she turned to meet his eyes, she saw that they had a good amount of pleading within them. "Think we can focus more on the love part and less on the war part?" Aang smiled, soft and serious. "I really did have something I wanted to show you."

Once again, Katara found her resolve melting away when faced with the eternal love beaming from his countenance. Defeated, but happily so, she pulled close and returned the kiss that he gave her earlier. Only this time, instead of a peck, she made it linger. "Alright, Avatar, you got me," she murmured upon breaking away.

"Mm…" he smiled against her lips. "Let's go find a good place to sneak out, then. Knowing our luck, Sokka might find us at any second."

"Or his wife."

At the suddenness of a new voice, the two leaped apart and took their respective fighting stances, only to see Suki in the hallway with her arms crossed and one eyebrow quirked. "You guys are really falling out of touch," the Kyoshi Warrior smirked. "I never thought it was possible to sneak up on the Avatar."

"Apparently that proves it wrong," Aang muttered, slumping in annoyance.

Katara laughed and faced Suki, patting her husband on the shoulder. "Well hey, you're still pretty stealthy. And, also, I think I was distracting him. I'm good at that, right?" She gave Aang a wry glance. Giggling at the blush on his cheeks, she continued. "Anyway, good you're here; you'll be happy to know that Kimiye's fast asleep in your room."

"I figured as much; I knew you'd be heading off, since I saw Aang flying toward the window from outside, so I was coming up to keep an eye on her for Sokka." Suki gave the couple a light-hearted smile. "Go on and enjoy your anniversary. There's plenty of time to catch up and watch my husband rant at you guys later."

"Yay, Sokka-rants," Aang sarcastically drawled. "Can't wait."

"That just means we can have an excuse to stay out later, right?" Katara laughed and bowed her head towards her sister-in-law. "We'll see you soon, Suki."

"G'night, crazy kids," the warrior bowed back. She stood watching the two as they trotted down the hallway and around the corner, eager to make themselves scarce. Then, shaking her head with a smile, she made her way to the aforementioned room.

As she found upon carefully unlatching the door, Kimiye was still lost in an age of dreams and all but vulnerable to the waking world.

While the Kyoshi Warrior had fewer scars from the war than her friends, she still felt the heavy weight of memories from that time. When Sokka came to join her, and the two of them got carried away in watching their baby girl sleep, they too found comfort in each other and the new-found hope that was growing ever so slowly through an age of peace...and the members of their unconventional family.


	8. Anniversary II

((AN: Another new chapter, and it's something of a continuation to the last one, as promised. x3 This chapter's mostly me sating my love for Kataangy fluffiness, but I liked to add a little drama therein too; sometimes soul mates need to remind each other of just why they need their other halves. Katara soothes Aang's dark side several times in the series, and as the creators pointed out in commentary of the episode "The Southern Raiders", he's there in her mind soothing her dark side in return at the moment of truth. I imagine he'd always be the one to pour water over the fire for her, so to speak. Also, the discussion about the armlet is kinda a self-reference to another Avatar fanfic that I've been writing a while. Something of a continuation-from-the-ending-journeying-around-and-writing-whatever-I-think-about kinda thing. It's ongoing and contains a lot of good Kataang moments. I may post it when I find the time to divide it all into chapters, and if people are interested. As for the robe, yeah, it's the one she's wearing in the first chapter. x3

In other happy news, I bought a couple of things recently that no Avatard should do without: The Lost Scrolls collection, with lots of info not revealed on the show, and the book of the Art of the Animated Series. Both are sure to keep me and my fanfiction-muse occupied for a while, I'm sure. x3

Anyway, enjoy, and thanks very much for all the faves and reviews; especially to Pandalily22 for all the kind compliments and to aangfan, whose story I am a fan of myself. :3 And as usual, I do not own these awesome characters; Mike and Bryan do. I bow to their genius.))

* * *

"So…you gonna tell me where we're going?"

Katara leaned comfortably on her arms over the rim of Appa's saddle, scrutinizing the back of the Airbender's head after she asked her question. He had a grin which she couldn't see, but could very well feel. "You'll know when we get there," he answered cryptically without looking at his wife, making her roll her eyes with a nonetheless amused smile. _Airbenders. Always skirting around._

She moved carefully to another side of the saddle to peer over the edge and keep her mind occupied. Nearby sat a basket with a picnic dinner inside; seeing it made Katara all the more eager to land. The snacks she'd prepared were a part of her own gift to him for that day.

Meanwhile, to clear her head, she was thinking about how amazing it was that Appa seemed to subconsciously know to keep his flying less turbulent with a pregnant woman on his back. Aang would have naturally been directing the beast carefully as well, but after a while it was as if they could read each other's minds.

The bison was flying steadily and almost lazily across the earthen peaks of the Patola Mountain Range, the clouds drifting around them and pooling along the craggy rock formations in the white-orange colors of the evening sun. Curious as Katara was about her husband's idea to spend their wedding anniversary, she resigned herself to patience and admitted to enjoying the slow and steady way that the day seemed to pass. It was just him, her, and the tranquil world they made wherever they settled, to enjoy for as long as time's relentless march would allow.

She couldn't very well see the ground through the clouds; so using some light Waterbending ministrations, Katara parted the white veil with her fingers like one would open a curtain. Through the cottony fissure, the detailed greenery growing down towards the base of the close mountains and some very small valleys came into view. She smiled at the sight of the spring-kissed earth far below the gargantuan bison's stomach. The fact that she was seeing a world viewed from the skies…from a territory that only the Air Nomads called their own for so long…was humbling, to say the least. Aang once reassured her when they married that she was welcome with open arms by the spirits of the air, whose energies pervaded and protected their home…but she often pondered the idea of asking them herself if she truly was.

Appa gave a low groan as Aang directed his reins to a specific spot near one of those small, nestled valleys and left his faithful mount to find it. The monk turned and hopped upward into the saddle with the aid of a conjured gust of wind, where Katara was still conducting the clouds. She was easily amusing herself by taking a wisp of white and clenching her fingers around it, causing it to turn darker…gray, almost black…and finally letting the atmospheric vapor coalesce into a single drop of what could only be Waterbender-assisted rain and loosing it to free-fall through the heavens.

"That's something you don't see often," The Avatar softly observed as he sat next to her and watched the water dance through her fingertips. "I wonder if there were ever any Waterbenders that could cause it to rain by doing that."

Giving him a sideways glance with eyes as blue as the deep sea, Katara smiled and turned to rest comfortably on her side towards him. "I wouldn't be surprised. Hundreds of thousands of Waterbenders had time to do it before me. Avatars especially. Still, if I tried, I'd probably only make a few trickles more than a rainstorm, or something like that. You have to be able to fly, besides."

"Flying Waterbenders," Aang chuckled. "Well, if the idea of airship transportation between the Nations goes through, we could see that happening."

Experimentally, the Airbender's hand found a place beside hers as he mimicked the movements among tendrils of fog. She wasn't at all surprised to see him easily figuring out how to darken a cloud by gathering more, or lighten it by mixing air, or making little drops to send as a gift to the greenery below. They'd shaped the clouds together before, and Katara felt her beating heart quicken when she remembered those same inquisitive sky-gray eyes of his following whatever she tried to teach in their younger days. The curiosity that made his eyes shimmer had never left him even at age twenty, and she figured most likely it never would.

"I dunno," Katara finally broke the silence in reply. "I like the thought of being the only flying Waterbender. With yours and Appa's help, naturally," she grinned.

He sent her a mirthful laugh and ceased playing with the clouds to lay close beside her, an arm draped over her back as they settled into the saddle where the wind wasn't whipping at them as much. His eyes searched for hers, and as always, they found themselves lost in the depths of their shared gaze. "Y'know, considering things, if our babies turn out to be Waterbenders…" he teasingly mused, "Then they'll be able to fly too."

"Heh, 'babies', as in more of them?" she smirked and shimmied closer, entwining his legs in hers and cupping his face in her palm. "You're getting ahead of yourself, you proud future dad. Let's get _this _one into the world first."

"Hey, it's the one time I like to think that far ahead; don't ruin my moment." Giving her another laugh and a toothy grin, he pulled her against him so that the still-growing bump of her abdomen was nestled against the muscles of his own. His arm held her tightly and protectively in their small corner of the bison's back and her own arm wound lazily over his shoulder. Her hand held the back of his gold-and-orange tunic as a loving gaze turned into an equally-loving kiss between the two benders.

The moment was only interrupted a few seconds later by a low roar from Appa, indicating to Aang that the bison had found their destination. Slowly breaking from the kiss to give Katara a secretive smile, he helped her sit up along with him, and together they held on as they descended fairly quickly into a niche in a small mountainside.

As the earthen walls moved past their view, a small plateau with a wide cavern appeared on the side of one small mountain near the base. Outward from the entrance stretched a beautiful expanse of green, a small valley nestled protectively in the crevice of these colossal structures. Fueling the plants that grew there was a waterfall thundering from a side of the mountain. It stood near the cave and it drenched the entrance in bands of mist with every pound on the rocks. Eventually it grandly emptied into a spring that in turn pooled over and sprinkled into the ground to be absorbed by a mini-forest of various herbs and flowers, all clamoring to sate their thirst. The whole thing was illuminated by the setting sun, the beams of light shifting across the mountainous peaks like something out of an epic painting.

It was a little paradise, isolated and private, quiet and secure…just for them. Katara's jaw dropped. "Wow, Aang…how'd you find this?"

"It wasn't easy," he admitted almost sheepishly. "Took much of the whole day to find the waterfall and the cave. I just cleaned it up inside; wait'll you see."

Appa landed gingerly on the edge of the plateau and stood in that ever-patient way as his long-time friend took his wife in his arms and leaped expertly from the saddle, taking the basket of food with them.

Once on the ground, the two humans stroked through the thick fur of Appa's flank in thanks, causing the massive beast to low comfortably. "I'll whistle for you later, buddy," Aang affectionately stated. "Go have some of the grass in the valley. I'll bet it's tasty."

"There's enough of it for your appetite at least," Katara joked.

With another bellow in consent and a slam of his tail, Appa's six limbs lifted from the edge of the plateau and he willed the wind to make him soar into the cloudy evening sky. They watched him for a few more moments before Aang took his wife's hand in his own and led her through the shadowed entrance of the cavern.

There was still enough sunlight left in the evening to take in every detail of the inside. The rocky walls had been smoothed out and the stalactites removed—an easy feat for an Earthbender—blocking any dripping water from making the niche uncomfortably moist. The floor was soft, the hard slate covered completely by thick green moss mixed with what had to be fluffy sky bison hair that Appa would shed all throughout the days of spring. Several faintly-blue phosphorescent stones like those used as light sources in much of the Earth Kingdom had been embedded in the smoothed-out ceiling, giving the shadows a partial glow that the couple knew would be all the brighter later when the sun would set. They were arranged like the stars in the sky…or similarly, like the crystals lighting the paths to the tomb of the Cave of Two Lovers.

Katara gasped softly, her fingers held over her open lips in nothing short of complete awe. Seeing the look on his wife's face, Aang blushed. "You like it?" he whispered.

"Aang…I…wow…" her eyes dropped from the ceiling to look back to him, bewildered. "It's absolutely beautiful."

Seeing the sparkle in Katara's wide blue eyes caused his blush to run deeper. He smiled with pride and took her hand in his, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. She recognized the shy look that Aang always had whenever he did something special for her and was awaiting her approval. "We probably have a lot of vacation spots in the rest of the world already…but this one's closest to our home, and I thought, y'know…if you ever want to get out of the Temple and relax, but don't want to fly all the way over the sea to the other Nations…" he let his voice fade, leaving the implication in the air where she would catch it.

Giving the little cave one last appreciative once-over, Katara then practically threw herself into the surprised Airbender's arms with a loud ecstatic chirp, embracing him as tightly as possible. It took no time at all for Aang to lovingly return the gesture, arms wrapped about her body and his lips to her hair.

"You really shouldn't go to such lengths to spoil me," the Waterbender said matter-of-factly, though the tumultuous waver in her voice betrayed her fond appreciation for him. "My gift can hardly measure up now."

His soft laughter against her scalp trickled like water down her nerves. "The best gift I could ever have gotten in my life…you, and what you've done for me…and what you're doing now…" his left hand wound its way down to her belly, "…Is all I could ever want. I don't care what you say, Katara. I'll do everything to make you happy in return. I owe you that."

Blushing heavily, she looked up to meet his eyes, her hand rising to his cheek. "And I keep telling you, Aang, that you already make me happy. Eternally. If I wished for more, I'd be asking for the world. And I already received that the minute that I found you." Her warm smile turned into a grin. "So allow _me_ to spoil _you_ completely rotten from time to time, huh?"

"Well, I dunno," he playfully smirked. "I don't think you can turn a monk rotten by spoiling him."

"I don't _want_ to turn you rotten," Katara murmured, pulling him close so that her breath fell in soft, enticing waves over his lips. "I just like _attempting _to."

He shivered by her touch, drawing a shaky laugh as he spoke against the skin that he _so_ wished to taste right then. "I have news for you. You don't rot me. If anything, you preserve me…" His voice dropped into a low, hungry murmur that sent a peal of lightning down her spine. "…And then, you _melt_ me."

She only had a second to note how philosophical he could get at the most interesting times…before his lips captured hers. Her train of thought immediately derailed, as did all sense of time and space around them…beyond the darkness of their closed eyelids and the rest of their bodily senses overpowered by each other. Their kisses were fervent, but lingering and gentle as they parted and came together again at rhythmic intervals. Her deep breathing was music to his ears, and to hers, his eager hums against her lips. Blood started rushing; heat started rising.

But unlike most times they tended to come together like that, they didn't allow themselves to get carried away just yet. After a few passionate moments, Katara broke the kiss with a light and insistent push of her palm on his chest. Aang hesitantly complied, and found himself giving her that familiar playful gleam in his dark eyes. _It's hard to imagine how powerful he is when he sometimes looks like the child he used to be, _she thought.

"Let's have dinner, shall we?" Katara suggested with a bright smile, taking the basket from nearby and finding a spot to settle on the plateau with the setting sun beginning a brilliant light show for them.

* * *

After the picnic dinner (which consisted mostly of dessert items that Katara knew Aang loved, including his favorite tarts—his eyes had widened to the size of saucers before he practically stuffed his mouth with them), they used the waterfall to loosen up with a few light Waterbending exercises. It was mostly at Aang's insistence, having the idea to make sure that his wife's pregnancy wouldn't start to make her lazy. The implication had caused her to fling water in his face, and him to splash in retaliation.

Before long, a game of dueling water whips ensued where one would dodge or parry the other. It ended with the two of them splashing the other simultaneously…ending up soaking wet, and laughing the hardest that they'd ever laughed in weeks.

It was a moment afterward that Aang presented his second surprise that he'd stashed in that cavern: a flowing robe of orange and gold, with a thin red sash around the middle. It was reminiscent of his old outfit from the Day of Black Sun, but similarly it was a rather imaginatively-conjured Air Nomad-style cloak for a woman. "I knew you'd want something more comfortable to wear as you...or, the baby...gets bigger," he explained. "So some time ago I got a ton of fur that Appa shed and took it to a professional tailor to have them weave it, dye it, and make it into an outfit. It took weeks, but I think it came out perfect. If you like it," he added. But the tight, ecstatic embrace that he received told him that she very much did.

As for her gift, surprising Aang as he'd thought that having his favorite desserts was enough, Katara presented him with a cloth armlet that strapped around his upper right bicep. It was swathed in deep blue colors and waving designs, and had little crests from all four nations embedded into the thick fabric. "I know you were fond of the one I bought you a long time ago," she smiled softly, "So I had Sokka and Suki help me make this one. Now you have something to wear again from the Water Tribes that pretty well suits an Avatar."

He laughed and looked it over with a grateful smile on his features. "Heh, I _was_ a little sad when the other one got too small for me. Thank you, Katara, it means a whole lot."

And so as they sat, dried off, and rested together on the edge of the outcrop, the last of the sun's light drifted slowly behind the mountains. The stars appeared, two by two and three by three, as little diamonds against a sea of indigo. The daylight's last colors were a mix of reddish-orange, which reminded the two of them of the fading light of Sozin's Comet all that long ago.

And following, it started reminding Katara of the feelings that she had tried to get rid of earlier that day. They came trickling back in drips envisioned in all of her nightmares left over by the war. Drips that turned to blood and reflected all of her pain and hate. The red sunset vanished fully, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness befalling the beauty of the valley before them, it felt less to her like the comfort of night and more like a foreboding shadow cast on a paradise.

When Aang turned to face her, he saw the distant look on his wife's face. "Katara?" he inquired, his soft voice tinged with concern. "What's wrong?"

Lifting her head and blinking toward him, she had opened her mouth to deny that anything was wrong…but one look from him stopped her. He wouldn't believe her anyway, and would wait until she told the truth. He knew how to read her very well after so long, and she in return felt their conversation playing out in her mind…she denying, he insisting. So instead, she took a deep breath and stuck to the truth. "I'm fine…just dwelling again."

"Oh," he sighed in understanding. With a comforting smile, her husband raised his arm and took it around her shoulders, pulling her against him. "What about?"

Sidling against the Airbender and finding his warmth, she found herself letting go of her tension, slowly. "You'd probably just think I'm silly, Aang. It seems so easy for you to let go of all of these memories, and all of what _you_ had to endure. It's not so easy for me."

"Katara, you know that's not true," he whispered, his head resting against hers. "I lost much more than you did, and I can't let go of it no matter how hard I try. I still have nightmares. I still ask myself, 'what if'? What if I didn't run away? What if you hadn't found me? What if…what if Zuko didn't rescue me from Zhao when you and Sokka were sick and depending on me? What if I didn't come back from my fight with Ozai? Too many 'what-if's. Everything turned out perfectly in the end, but we all still get haunted by it. I don't let it go…but I can just accept it and live for today and tomorrow."

The Waterbender nodded wordlessly beside him. That's what she'd told him to do when dwelling got the better of him, and it's what they promised each other that they would do. But sometimes, they knew, their nightmares wouldn't allow them to keep that promise, and they simply needed to let it out. That was what they were doing right then…desperately trying to recover that comfort.

Her hand slunk up to rest on her growing belly, where their baby was resting. It didn't feel the fears of its parents…it only felt their presence, and only knew somehow that they were there, and that they loved…if it could yet know at all, or feel, which Katara liked to think it did.

And yet, still…the nightmares still lingered…

"…I would have killed him," she finally murmured, her face twisting into a dark grimace.

Taken aback, Aang pulled away slightly and studied her features. "…Who?"

"Ozai," Katara specified, spitting his name like a curse. "If it had been _him_ returning from that fight, on that airship instead of you…I'd have killed him. Me and Zuko would have. For what he'd have done to you. He made me sick…he still does. That he'd have killed you, a thirteen-year-old boy, without an inch of guilt. Avatar or no."

Her voice was like acid, and he easily recognized it as the controlled rage she'd held within her the day that she'd gone to search for her mother's killer.

"Katara," he whispered in soft urgency, pulling her face up so that her eyes met his. The expression he gave her was also one from that day…fear and concern for her, mixed with the pleading hope that she wouldn't be as cold as he knew she could be.

Her head lowered, cheek nuzzling into his palm. "I know what you're thinking, Aang. It wouldn't have been the moral thing to do. But, back then, I knew that I wouldn't have stopped myself. The thought of you dead…the thought of him killing you…" She sucked in a loud breath. "I couldn't have lived without you. And I would have destroyed him for that. Completely."

Of that, the Airbender had no doubt. He'd seen her Bloodbending only once, and knew she'd used it on one other person after, so he could easily envision her consumed by such rage and subduing the former Fire Lord. And in many ways, it scared him…not for himself, but for herself, her mind and soul. He figured this was how she must have felt when he'd gone into the Avatar State.

He held her face in his hands, willing her to look at him again. His gaze pressed into hers with the utmost sincerity. "While I admit that I find it comforting how you would have gone so far for me…I wouldn't have wanted you to. Sure, he probably would have been better off dead, for the sake of the world. But what you just admitted to wanting to do...it _wouldn't_ have been for the world. It would have been for revenge. It was selfish. You would have poisoned yourself."

_The rat-viper metaphor._ She closed her eyes and tried to turn away, though his strong and insistent grip made that futile. "I know. But I'd have welcomed that to avenge you."

"It still wouldn't have done you good in the long run," Aang insisted with an aching heart, trying to find the right words to explain it to her. When he couldn't right away, he settled for wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She held herself at that distance, and he neither pulled her toward him, nor did she push herself away.

With that allowed between them, the young Avatar continued with a question. "Katara…when it's time for us to both die…do you want your soul to join mine in the Spirit World forever?"

She looked up at him in slight shock. "Aang, of course I do. I want us to be together long after we die."

He had a small smile, but his gaze bore seriousness. "Yet…you probably wouldn't have been able to, if you'd have allowed yourself to kill for the sake of vengeance."

Although a small part of her had realized the price she would have had to eventually pay, it still stung her to hear it. She bit her lip to keep from crying as he continued to speak.

"Katara…you probably have the most virtuous heart I've ever seen. What you've done for me and for the world, the spirits agree that nothing could have been more selfless and brave. But you also have this darkness in you…you let it in with the pain and suffering of all your losses and direct it into hate and rage. I can't help but be afraid for what it does to your soul. My spirit would have begged you to spare him, even if he'd have killed me, and let Zuko and the people of his nation deal with it how they would. Even in death, I would have never, _ever_ let you hurt yourself like that."

At that, Katara let herself fall into him, her arms wrapping weakly about his torso. She had no words to speak that wouldn't either come out with tears, or hold an argumentative sting. He sensed it and held her tightly against him, his voice soft against her hair as he continued to reassure his precious soul mate. "Besides…that didn't happen. I won, and I came back. I'm here now, with you, and we're having a baby. It's over. And we _will_ be together."

The promise in those words cut through to her heart, and her breath came out in a shaky sob. Her body quivered, and he held her for as long as it would have taken for her to return to her senses and truly realize it again.

Once she did, she drew in a long sigh, looking up at him with a flushed face and a sheepish smile. "I love you so much, Aang. I'm sorry."

Softly, he lifted his hands and ran his thumbs over her moist eyelids. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you with everything I have. And don't be sorry. I know exactly how you would have felt."

Katara nodded, blinking up at him as her hands rested over his. "I find it so very hard to forgive anyone after they've hurt me. How in the world did _you_ ever manage to just…_forgive_ the Fire Nation for what they've done? Was it your teachings as a monk?"

He shrugged. "That's probably the most of it…but I like to think that it's also me and how I deal with things. I recognize that life is far too short to be dwelling."

There was a pause for a long few minutes as his words sank in. When she looked at him again, he gave her a light-hearted grin. "That giving you any ideas?"

She regarded him with a bit of a scowl before playfully pushing him off with a solid laugh. "Okay, genius, I get it…no more dwelling." Her head tilted, and one of her eyebrows quirked as she discreetly wiped off the last bit of moisture from her eyes. "You're pretty wise for someone who tries to spend his time goofing around."

"Aha, but you forget, my dear Katara," he smugly retorted as he crossed his arms behind his head, "There are many sides to me. I'm just full of surprises—AAGH!"

His declaration was cut short the instant he leaned back too far on the ledge and ended up falling backward with flailing arms and legs, straight down into the waterfall pool some feet below.

Before his wife could call out for him, however, Aang managed to shoot straight back up, completely soaked and with various plants clinging to his clothes. "I totally meant to do that."

Katara snorted a hard laugh after looking him over, her sides convulsing in mirthful pain. "Haha…! Right, sure you did."

Laughing along with her, and relieved that he had brought her out of her abyssal sadness, Aang started his usual cleaning-up maneuver by taking a deep breath. But just as he was about to bring his fists together and call up a sphere of wind, he was stopped with a hand on his arm.

"Hang on," Katara lightly insisted. "If you do that, you'll send the debris and stuff flying. Let me see you Waterbend it out instead, Pupil Aang," she smirked.

"Oh," Aang let out a short chuckle, grinning at his former Sifu. "Sorry; I keep forgetting that I have to make all of the elements as second-nature to me as Airbending."

"It'd be a good habit, for the Avatar," she remarked and proceeded to watch him.

With an even breath, Aang concentrated on the slower, more patient movements that comprised the element next to him in the cycle. A smooth flick of his arms and with a flow to his wrists and fingers, all of the water gathered in his clothes leaped to the unspoken commands to form a sizeable, clear sphere. No longer having the water to cling to, the dried dirt and plants fell off of him as well.

He looked up to send a grin to Katara, only to notice that she hadn't been watching at the end. Her fingers were massaging the side of her forehead, her mouth twisted in a grimace.

_Another headache…_the Airbender thought, tilting his head in concern. _She's been having those for a while._

Then, with a light smile, he willed the water floating before him to encompass his palms. As he scooted toward her on his knees, the water took on a soothing glow and a quiet humming tone. Katara had taught him the Healing Touch some weeks after the end of the war, and since then, he'd put it to good use. More often than not these days, he'd also used it to ease his wife's stress-induced discomfort as her pregnancy waned on.

Before she knew it, Aang was seated close in front of her, his hands pressing the water on either side of her temples beneath her hair. Instantly she felt the warm-and-cool sensations probing their way into her nerves and the chi paths along her skull. Her eyelids quivered several times and then relaxed, as did the twitching muscles around her face and forehead.

The glow, the consistent humming of the working energy, and Aang's close warmth all worked as one blanketing force to will Katara into a state of calming peace. The pain was fogging and lifting, and for a moment she felt far away from the world. His knees touching hers, his even and concentrated breaths on her skin…those were the only things reminding her that she was grounded and not floating away.

After a few moments of being lost in the blissful, light-headed feelings, Katara opened her eyes. Seeing this, Aang let the water fall, but he kept his hands on her cheeks. "Are you okay?" he inquired in a tender whisper.

She knew that he could very well feel the flush of heat rising to her face…but upon looking into his comforting eyes, she could hardly care. Placing her hands upon his shoulders and slowly wrapping them around his neck, she gave him a wry smile swimming in love. "I am now…because you're here…and I'm so glad it turned out that way…" she admitted and placed her lips against his in a grateful kiss.

Her words seemed to seep into his core, setting his heart on fire as he returned it with eager passion…which she was only happy to reciprocate. As they began to lose each other in their deep and solemn affections once again, Aang carefully helped her up and led the two of them into the cavern.

This time, as their niche was drenched in the darkness of night, the crystals on the ceiling were glowing freely and filling all in their sight with a luminous and soothing shade of white-blue. They took their time finding the most comfortable spot of moss and bison fur, where they laid themselves down.

When they opened their eyes to glimpse each other again, the glowing effect of their surroundings made their features ethereal…ghostly, almost spiritual. And Katara imagined that that's how he would look…how they would both look…when they left the living world and found each other on the other side. And she felt her conflicts melting away with every parting touch and caress the Avatar gave her, and she him. She knew for certain that it would indeed happen if either of them had anything to say about it.

Aang's pulse raced as he took in every feature that the dim lighting gave him. They were the only forms of life in that cave…the shadows of the rocks stood still. Theirs did not.

It was a little too dark still to notice, but the surge of warmth in Katara's hand as she held his face told her that he was indeed blushing. He tried to keep his whispers even and confident, but still the waver in his breath betrayed his desires. "Well…I know we were planning on going back as soon as it was dark…but…"

"Shh…I know," the Waterbender murmured, trailing her fingers enticingly under his collar. "But I think they'll understand if we wait until morning, right?"

"Sokka might not," Aang joked with a shake of his head, eyes rolling as he crept over her and gently held her to the ground. His own fingers tugged at her snowy white waistband. "But then again, when did _that_ ever stop us?"

"If you can think of anything that _can_ stop us..." Katara breathed as the heat rose in her own body, "...Then let them try."

Nothing more was said between them. They kept themselves wrapped in their own secure world, far away from any concerns for that one special night; a celebration of their union, their love, and every racing heartbeat that told them that they still lived for today.

There were no nightmares. Only living dreams, pure and complete.


	9. Birth

((AN: Happy New Years, all! Buahaha...finally, the birth chapter. Or rather, the prelude to the birth chapter. :B That one will actually be next. This is the buildup to the moment, mostly, but I still had fun writing it. Originally, I hadn't intended to get to the scene of the birth just yet...but my muse demanded it, and darnit, when my mind is assaulted with story ideas, I must answer. A small reminder, these are all short stories that bounce around the same timeline, so after the birth, I'll probably have a few chapters that still go back to during the pregnancy along with chapters with little Tenzin. Also, I have updated the story to name each of the chapters, mostly to help me keep things in order. x3

Also, this is the first time I've rather extensively written Mai. Whenever she's around the rest of the group, I have a tendency to keep her in the background; mostly because that's where she'd seem to be anyway. I have the worst trouble writing characters who are as emotionally void as she is, moreso than characters with many other personalities, for some odd reason. I hope I captured her well enough, anyway.

Enjoy! Thanks again to everyone for their kind comments, faves, and alerts. Remember, I do not own these guys, Mike and Bryan do.))

* * *

The beginning of autumn in the Fire Nation tended to be an event hardly noticed, due to the harsh, warm climate and the ever-present volcanic heat. Still, one couldn't deny that at night the wind carried a short biting chill that was a foresight of the seasonal changes to come. For those who had calendars, it was easy to track that soon the Autumnal Equinox would draw near as well.

But as far as Katara was concerned, the change in season only meant that her baby was almost due to arrive right on schedule; and her vehement discomfort on one particularly close day never failed to remind her of it.

She and Aang, alongside Sokka, Suki, Toph, and anyone else who remembered the date and wished to be near when the baby was born, were relaxing at the Royal Palace at Fire Lord Zuko's insistence. The Avatar and his wife had been staying there for nearly a month-and-a-half, and soon—either by choice or invitation—the rest of their friends started to journey there. The best physicians in the city as well as some brought up from the Southern Water Tribe were there together to tend to Katara after she became too exhausted to walk or train during the day. Though she was not used to receiving treatment reserved for royalty, the Waterbender had to admit that it really helped.

It was a rather sweltering morning that greeted her at the palace as she lay carefully propped on the arm of a couch in one of the palace's seating rooms. One of Zuko's guardsmen stood outside of her door, and a few of his attendants and one or two nurses were there to tend to any of her whims…though the only thing she asked for was food or a cold towel, and otherwise insisted with a good degree of stubbornness that she was fine on her own.

She sighed and put the book down that she was trying to read, clenching involuntarily as she felt the baby moving within her incredibly-swollen midsection. Katara had been mentally prepared for the time of reckoning, and was even helping the nurses to monitor her own contractions. It wasn't much of a distraction to keep count in her head of how many hours or minutes had passed between each wave of convulsive pain—in fact it was downright annoyingly irregular at times—but hearkening back to her days of delivering babies was a fond enough memory to override it some.

Yet, no matter how prepared she felt, the young Water Tribe woman still couldn't deny that she was more nervous than she could ever remember feeling in her life. And more than ever, she wished that she hadn't let her discomfort get the better of her emotions that morning. Her body was overcome with stress, and her mind was in turmoil and barely keeping up with the day.

_I wish I could move time so that this whole thing is already over…and then I would already be carrying my baby in my arms, with Aang beside me._

Katara let out another sigh before noticing the attendants in the room standing to face the door, each of them swiftly bowing to the one who entered. "Milady," the guard could be heard greeting.

Glancing toward the entryway, she watched as Mai dismissively waved their hand so that the servants could be at ease. _Ever the noblewoman,_ the Waterbender inwardly chuckled. _Sometimes it's hard to believe how dangerous she can be._

"Hey, you," the Fire Lord's wife greeted with a seemingly-curt nod in Katara's direction, a small smile painted on her otherwise stoic face. "How are you holding up?"

"Well, I can't lie," Katara smirked back. "My head hurts, I feel like I weigh as much as Appa, I'm too hot, and I can hardly think through all this nervousness. I feel like I'm about to pop."

"You'd better not," Mai stated with a few inches of humor in her tone as she sat on a chair beside the couch where the prone woman lay and picked a book up from the table. "You'll get my upholstery all messy."

"Yeah, wouldn't want that," the wife of the Avatar murmured. "I'm also not used to all of this royal attention, either. Not that I don't appreciate it, but…it makes me feel awkward ordering servants around."

"Compared to someone who was raised with it, it's a strange notion," Mai observed in a deadpan manner. "But aren't you technically a princess anyway? Your father's a chief of a tribe."

"A tribe that's not as large or as fancy as the Northern people have," Katara hummed. "Still…point."

Mai spared another slight smile. "Anyway, Iroh will be up here soon; he insisted on brewing you some tea. And he won't take 'no' for an answer, unlike your awkward servants, here."

"Good old Iroh," Katara chuckled as she idly toyed with her hair loops and received another cold towel from a servant who had heard the words 'too hot'. "That evil man's going to get my baby hooked on tea at this rate."

Mai snorted without looking up. "You call _him_ evil? You really _are_ getting used to living in peace."

"Oh, and you're not?"

"…Meh. It's rather boring most of the time."

"That says a lot," Katara mumbled with a roll of her eyes. Mai was a good friend nowadays, but she still certainly wasn't much for conversation.

Choosing to ignore the comment, Mai sent her a sideways glance. "So, where's your husband? You two are usually pretty inseparable."

The Waterbender winced slightly and let out a long sigh, breaking herself from the cool sensation of the towel. "I kinda…yelled at him this morning."

Blinking, Mai half-closed the book to look up at her. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Katara replied as she shamefully pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't even remember all the details. I woke up in pain, he was running around all nervous, I got annoyed and told him to just get out of my sight. Literally. I haven't seen him since. Oh…" she let her head fall back against the arm of the couch. The long braid she had her hair in slumped just as lazily over the side. "This stupid pregnancy has me all worked up. I'm angry and can't think straight, and now Aang's probably afraid to mess up around me right now."

"Hm," Mai shook her head. "You're making being pregnant look less and less appealing now."

"Oh, be quiet," Katara bit back. "You know you badly want kids too."

The blade-wielder matter-of-factly turned her attention back to the book. The Waterbender tilted her head, her tone softening as she pressed on. "You know that all of us think you'll make a good mom, don't you?"

Mai glanced up briefly. "Well, Zuko did tell me that you gave him some good advice about parenting. I have to admit, it made a lot of sense."

"I usually do try to make sense," the pregnant woman smiled. "And here's another piece of advice; everyone's different. Your pregnancy may well be different than mine. Many say it's a horror story, but if there's one thing that outweighs the discomfort, it's the joy of it. The first time you feel the baby kick…seeing your husband light up every time he looks at you…the anticipation and all the planning…" her expression turned faraway and almost stance-like, voice soft and level. "…And the fact that you made a life out of your love. After all of that, you sometimes see all of the pain and the weakness as just a part of the fun."

"You and I have vastly different ideas on fun," Mai pointed out, giving a thoughtful quirk of the lip followed by a rather warm expression. Katara could have sworn there was just a slight glow to her. "Still, perhaps you might be right. It might be about time to bring a little prince or a princess into this world."

"Well, it's about time you thought so," Katara laughed, shaking her head. "So, where's Zuko anyway?"

Mai chuckled. "Ah, last I was told, His Royal Pain was out gallivanting with your brother and the blind Earthbender. He may very well catch up to your Avatar as well."

"I hope so." Katara averted her gaze and hung her head, eyes locked upon the dome of flesh beneath her loose Air Nomad-style robes. "I don't want Aang to stay away from me…but I also don't want to end up snapping at him again."

"I wouldn't worry so much," Mai hummed. "You know how sickeningly devoted that Airbender is to you. He is only giving you the space you need right now for your emotions to settle down. When you want him there, then he'll come."

Katara smiled slowly as the thought registered, and began to settle down. Her heart, racing to keep up with the demands on her body, seemed to pick up its pace for just a brief second before going back to a reasonable and calm speed. "I guess you're right. Thanks, Mai."

The young queen smiled. "Well, hey. You're a friend. I might as well try and make a _little_ effort to listen to your emotional spills."

"That's very comforting," Katara deadpanned before breaking out into a snicker. "You and Zuko really are made for each other."

"I like to think so," Mai gave a slight, happy sigh. "We liked each other since childhood. There's nothing we don't share…doesn't get much deeper than that."

"Kinda sweet when you think about it," the Waterbender giggled. At that, Mai seemed to look indignant as she kept reading; but Katara knew very well that she agreed.

At that point, the servants turned at attention again as someone walked through the door. Katara smiled at the sight of the Dragon of the West, dressed in his more humble Earth Kingdom attire as he carried a tray with a steaming pot of tea and a few cups for everyone. "Greetings, Fire Lady Mai and Master Katara," he said with a quick bow.

Suki had come in behind him, carrying a pack that she'd gone shopping with. "Hey, Sister-in-law," the Kyoshi Warrior grinned, followed by a parting wave for Mai (who was still immersed in the book anyway). "You ready for this?"

"Not even a little bit," Katara groaned, trying to comfortably shift her weight without falling over. "But then again, maybe I'm ready as I'll ever be. All I need now is time."

"And even _that_ seems to be denied you," Iroh rather accurately guessed and chuckled as he set the tray down to pour the tea. The comforting scent of jasmine leaves filled the room. "I was an expectant father once. I know it all too well. Here," he handed Katara a cup, his smile kind and almost grandfatherly. "This ought to calm your nerves and settle your chi."

"Thanks, Iroh…I appreciate all the help," Katara smiled back with a nod as she accepted the cup and took a sip. The liquid went rather easily down her throat and warmed her core as it did.

"This from the girl who called him evil for addicting her baby to tea not a moment ago," Mai dryly remarked.

The old general blinked at Katara's flustered look before barking a loud laugh. "My dear ladies, tea is the _furthest_ thing in the world from evil. One could say I am doing you and your unborn a great favor."

The three young women all shared a laugh; even Mai, though her chuckle was hidden behind the palm of her hand.

Once the mirth settled, Suki sat on the chair opposite of the Fire Lady and brought her pack forward. "I realize we all never had the time to have a proper baby shower for you, Katara, but I did get you a few little things."

"Oh, wow," Katara marveled as she looked through the little bag, pulling out various items ranging from a stuffed badger-mole doll and other toys to small articles of clothing. "You didn't have to do all of this, Suki."

The older mother shook her head. "Nonsense; it's what friends do. Besides, the guys are all out, and it's a good time for girl talk. And _you_ were the one _insisting_ on getting everybody together for a shower for me and Kimiye, back when."

"Returning the favor, huh?" Katara quirked an eyebrow.

"Or the whole awkward-but-flattered feeling, yeah," Suki snickered. "The only girl missing is Toph with her big mouth."

"It's for the best," Mai shrugged. "Girly stuff isn't her thing. Come to think of it, maybe it's not _my_ thing either. Too much giddiness."

"Don't die of overexcitement, Mai," Suki muttered.

Iroh piped up with a short laugh, somewhere nearby; one suspects he did so just to prevent an argument between the highly-differing personalities of the women. "Should I leave? I know men are verboten at baby showers."

The three friends glanced between each other before laughing again. "You're invited, Iroh, if only because you're supplying the great tea," Katara pointed out with a grin.

"The tea never fails," Iroh sagely stated. "I _told_ you it's a great good."

"We'll take the General's word for it," Suki giggled.

As Katara continued sipping at her cup and relaxing in the presence of her close friends, the irony once again dawned on her of how much had changed since the war. _Who'd have thought I'd be getting ready to have my baby in the Fire Lord's Palace, with Mai and Iroh looking after me with Suki? I guess life is rather perfect now._

As soon as the thought finished crossing her mind, the pain struck once more.

This time, a wave of agony shot through her body from the core of the womb, and she felt as if on fire. There was a feeling like a release of pressure and a surge of wetness on her legs.

Katara emitted a sudden gasp and a loud whimper, and the cup of tea fell from her hand onto the floor as she trembled and tried to scoot further into the couch, clutching her abdomen. _Oh no…_

Suki and Mai both shot up from their seats at the noise. "Katara!" Suki ran to her side. "Katara, what's wrong? C'mon, sit up!"

"The…the baby," Katara wheezed back, finding it hard to breathe or speak through the contraction. The very thought of trying to move was excruciating. Her eyes were squeezed shut. "I think the baby's…"

"Oh no," the Kyoshi Warrior's eyes widened. "C'mon, Katara, focus on your breathing. In and out, like we discussed. Deeply, now." To the room, she called, "Let's get some help over here!"

Recovering from her silent spell after a second, Mai looked around the room at the dumbfounded servants and immediately started spouting orders. "Alright, all of you, quit standing around; get out and get the physicians and Water Tribe healers up here, _now!_ I want this room free of everyone but us. Tell the guards not to let anyone in but whom we say." She pointed at a couple of the servants. "You two, help us get her into the adjoining infirmary room we prepared."

The young noble's eyes darted around, arms crossing as she instantly rid herself of the feeling of urgency. "And for goodness' sakes, someone clean the sofa," she added in a loud mutter.

As a crowd of people gathered to help the pain-wracked Waterbender, a frantic Iroh leaped into the fray. "Master Katara, do you need me to do anything?"

The disheveled woman looked up with wide, distraught eyes. He could make out the fear behind the quivering pupils as she spoke between hard-fought gasps. "M-my husband…get Aang. _Please!_"

With a quick nod, Iroh turned to one of the guardsmen attracted by the chaos. "You heard her! Get out and find the Avatar! He should be somewhere on the grounds. I will monitor things here until the healers arrive. Go!"

As the flurry of activity became almost a blur in the way of the immense weight she carried and the pain that came with it, Katara's thoughts were in a frenzy…all of her preparation and knowledge were washed away, leaving her with just two foremost things in her mind: _I hope Aang gets here soon,_ and _GET THIS BABY OUT, NOW._

In Iroh's case, as he focused on setting things up for the healers and maintaining watch at the door for anyone wanting to come in, he curiously thought out loud to himself. "I wonder if I should add 'induces labor' as one of my tea's benefits…mm, nah. Probably a coincidence."

* * *

_Okay, focus. Relax. Meditate. Breathe. Find your center._

_ Let it all go. Distractions…worries…fears…_

_ Katara and the baby…the baby that she's probably going to have TODAY…_

"Ugh! This isn't working!" Aang growled aloud to the air in frustration. He unfurled himself from the lotus position he was in, holding his hands to the sides of his head as he tried to calm himself and only succeeded a small amount.

Letting in a deep breath, he tried twice more to find emotional balance with his meditation and failed both times. His concerns had unhinged him far too much that day for it to be of any sort of help. As well, his gut clenched a little; Katara had called it "sympathy pain", some sort of cosmic way that the husband could bond with his pregnant wife by sharing in the discomfort. It seemed to hurt him a little more right then, both in his stomach and in his heart; he still didn't know if Katara wanted him to be there beside her. He'd guessed that it was the stress and the pain speaking…but she had been so harsh, that all he could do was obey her when he wanted the most to be close in her time of need.

"I'm so keyed up, I can't think straight," he sighed to himself in a much more level tone, frowning as he leaned back and took in the vista before him. He actually hadn't gone away from the palace at all, opting for a seat on the lowest edge of the towering roof over the door. He would have been at the very top, but that day, the ground beckoned to him just as much as the sky did. The courtyard of the palace stretched before him, and from there he could vaguely make out the goings-on of the people past the walls in the Royal Caldera City. They went on and lived their daily lives, appreciating the golden era of peace brought to them a mere eight years ago…heedless of the one that brought that peace observing them.

His thoughts drifted, and as usual they went to the foremost worry. _Katara…forgive me, I might just come looking for you if I feel your pain any longer. Please be okay…oh, Spirits, let her and the baby be okay…!_

The young Avatar drew his knees up to his chest and let his head rest on them, staring out into space as he often did. "Who'd have thought that I'd be worrying this much?" he whispered into the wind, just to hear his own voice in his isolation, before going back into his head. _I wonder if Roku felt this way before he had his kids. Any of the other Avatars. Heh…I'd ask, but they'd probably scold me for asking such trivial questions._

"Oh! I see him! Yo, Aang!"

Jarred, the Airbender glanced over the edge of the parapet to see a bunch of his friends regarding him with rather curious expressions. Sokka was waving and holding Kimiye up on his shoulders, Zuko had his arms crossed, and Toph stared forward in the blank way she had with her hands on her hips. He'd barely remembered that the four of them had gone out for the day; they'd asked him to come, but he'd politely declined.

He waved back nonetheless, an uneasy smile crossing his features. "Back already?"

Zuko answered by taking a few steps back, and then leaping forward and using his rather crafty acrobatics to climb, swing, and vault onto the narrow platform where Aang sat. Sokka opted for a slower climbing motion as he left his daughter to play around with Toph. The blind Earthbender simply shrugged and leaned against a column, keeping a close eye (or foot) on the energetic two-year-old while remotely moving a small rock for her to chase around.

The Fire Lord regarded Aang with a tilted head. "What are you doing up here? I thought you'd be inside with Katara if you didn't wanna come with us."

"Yeah," Sokka grunted as he finally hauled himself none-too-gracefully to the parapet on his friend's other side. "What's eatin' ya, pal?"

He looked between the two of them and slumped. "I dunno, it's just…" he rubbed the flat of his palm against his face. "I'm so stressed out and worried. Katara was in such pain this morning, but she told me—okay, kinda ordered me—to leave her alone. I'm torn between giving her some space and going to help her…she might be having the baby today and I'm concerned and…ugh. I don't know what to do."

"Aaah," Sokka nodded in understanding and clapped a hand on Aang's shoulder. "The whole 'I'm-gonna-be-a-new-dad-and-I-don't-think-I-can-handle-it' deal, coupled with the 'worried-about-my-wife' deal. Buddy, I know it all, lemme tell ya. Kimiye gave me and Suki quite a scare when _she_ was born."

Aang turned his wide eyes to the young warrior. "And how'd you handle it?"

"Yeah, enlighten us," Zuko hummed.

Sokka's gaze turned from Aang to the Fire Lord for a second. "Are you really asking me, or is that sarcasm? It's hard to tell sometimes."

"I'm really asking," Zuko insisted, idly scratching the back of his head. "See…Mai and I are thinking of becoming parents fairly soon, and I want to know exactly what I'm getting into."

The two other men gave him light, happy smiles. "That's great to hear, Zuko," Aang chuckled.

"Indeed," Sokka stated as he sat facing his friends. "So the advice I give Aang will benefit you later, too." He took a deep breath. "Okay, well, I handled it about as well as Aang is right now. Suki threatened me with severe bodily harm about every minute of the day. I won't go into details as to what she said," he added in a grumble, causing the two to break out in snickers. "The point is, they're gonna be in a lot of stress and pain, and it's gonna make them all nasty and say things they don't mean. Especially while they're _having_ the baby. Don't let it get to you, because they're going to need you more than they let on. Aang, no matter how bad Katara gets, I can guarantee she'll want you to stand by her. Zuko, same goes for you and Mai." He held his hands up. "Of course, that's just my own experience talking. Your wives are a bit more dangerous than mine is."

"A bit?" Zuko echoed incredulously. "From how you tell it, I'm gonna have to hide Mai's blades."

Sokka sighed and laid a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder again. "In all seriousness, Aang…it's something I think that all new fathers go through. My sister is strong, and the two of you together have always been able to conquer every challenge. It's painful to bear now…but when the both of you see your child's face for the first time, it'll be worth it. Trust me."

Aang smiled. "I always did. Thanks, Sokka."

"Hey, brothers stick together, right?" the swordsman grinned.

"And so do friends," Zuko admonished as he rested his hand on Aang's other shoulder. "We'll all be around through things like this."

At that, Aang felt his burden become lighter. Letting out a breath that he was sure he held for that whole day, the young Avatar was reminded of just how important the people around him were.

The moment was interrupted, however, by Toph calling up to them in urgency. "Hey, guys! Something's happening inside!"

Aang's heart started racing as he leaped from the roof to the ground, the other two following behind. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Toph grimaced, scratching the heel of her foot across the dirt. "People are running around in there; I can feel it. Upstairs."

Before her friends could make her clarify further, the doors of the palace burst open to reveal a wide-eyed servant. "Oh, thank the Spirits!" he exclaimed once he fixed his gaze upon Aang and dropped to the ground on his knees. "Avatar, you have to come quick!"

"What's wrong?" the Airbender demanded. "Is it Katara?"

"Yes, sir, she's…" the servant took a second to regain his breath. "Your wife has gone into labor. She's in the infirmary now, and is requesting your presence."

At that, Aang needed no more incentive. Narrowing his eyes in determination, he immediately set into the palace at a speed that kicked up a literal whirlwind of dust behind him.

"Hey!" Zuko coughed as he and the others ran past the bewildered servant. "Wait for us!"

"Ohhhh man, oh man, oh man…" Sokka chanted, out of breath as he grabbed his daughter and sprinted with them. "So it begins…"

"Sugar Queen, you'd better not have the baby before we get there," Toph grunted.


	10. Birth II

((AN: I admit, I absolutely loved writing this chapter. I haven't written many birth scenes, but there's just something about them that gives off a lot of emotion and challenges me as a writer to emulate at least a fraction of what it's truly like. As one of the most momentous events in Kataang canon, as well, I only hoped that I captured the spirit of the excitement shared in everyone.

I also liked writing Aang's attitude towards Katara's labor anger. I remembered from the episode "The Headband" that even if he was insulted, he'd just joke back. He's -that- light-hearted. I doubt that he'd be all that depressed once he knew the reasoning behind her anger. Can't you just see him trying to make her laugh just a little through it? x3

A small note on Tenzin's name: According to the trivia on Avatar Wiki, the 14th Dalai Llama was named Tenzin Gyatso, the inspiration for Monk Gyatso in Avatar; while we don't really know the inspiration for Tenzin in the show itself, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that perhaps Aang indeed named his son after his beloved mentor. One never knows; it could simply be a shared inspiration. :3 Also, I'm only speculating on his appearance. LoK will probably reveal what he really looks like, hair and skin tone etc. x3

I hope you all enjoy! Once again, these are all Mike and Bryan's ideas, I only merely play with them. Also, for anyone slightly disturbed by birth scenes, there's little in the way of detail, but the warning's still there. x3 ))

* * *

It took Aang an agonizing few minutes to find the infirmary; he was relying on his scattered memory and directions from some of the other Fire Nation palace attendants. But once he managed to locate it, he wasted no time at all. He was repeating the servant's words over and over again in his mind, and over and over again, he answered in kind.

_She needs me. I must find her…I must._

Once at the open door, he was greeted by two guardsmen who immediately allowed him entry. Aang stepped quickly into the large seating room and found Iroh standing by the closed doorway on the far side.

"What took you so long?" Iroh joked, noticing the rather swift way the Airbender made it inside.

Catching his breath with only relative ease, Aang straightened and performed a quick bow in greeting to the retired General. "Iroh. How is she?"

"Calm down, son, you'll hyperventilate. Katara is stable, thanks to the healers," the old Firebender answered truthfully. "It could be anywhere from now to a few hours before she actually starts giving birth. Fire Lady Mai and your Kyoshi Warrior friend are in there with her, but she will most likely feel much better with you by her side."

"Oh, good," replied Aang, letting out a quick sigh of relief. "Can I go in, then? Also, Sokka and the rest should be right behind me."

"Uh…make that _waaay_ behind you, Twinkletoes," a familiar chiding voice called from outside. Stumbling in from the hall, exhausted from running to catch up to the frantic Airbender, was Toph with the others following (they'd lost Aang within the first few seconds, but thanks to her feet, she'd gauged his direction and led them up to the room without fail).

Iroh nodded to each in turn. "Ah, good; it seems Master Katara will have plenty of support. The rest of you will have to wait out here, though, unless she asks for someone in particular."

"That's no problem," Sokka wheezed as he flopped on the couch with his daughter sitting on his stomach. "As worried as I am about Katara, I have…kind of a bad history with being around women giving birth."

Toph snorted, taking the chair opposite him. "I'm _still _surprised that Suki didn't kill you for fainting when she gave birth to this little ball of energy," she motioned to Kimiye, whose curious eyes were fixated on some of the more colorful decorations on the walls.

"Hey, she forgave me," Sokka pointed out. "Katara probably wouldn't, though." The warrior looked up at Aang with a warm smile and motioned to the door with his head. "Now get in there and be with her already, man. We'll all be right out here."

"And _I'll _make sure nobody disturbs us," Zuko said with his arms crossed as he dismissed the remaining servants who weren't needed, only keeping a guard at each of the doorways. He gave the Avatar a sideways glance and a short smile. "Good luck."

Smiling back, the Airbender nodded wordlessly to each of his friends. As he turned to the door, he closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath to steady himself. Then, he willed his hand to push through the entryway.

"…Katara?" he spoke with a gulp as he looked inside, taking in the scene before him.

The infirmary wasn't too large a room, and whomever redecorated it had made sure that it was a comforting place to be. All of the usual warm Fire Nation hues colored the walls, though the bedsheets were left white. The windows were closed only just enough to let sunlight filter through, and several flickering lanterns on the walls and tables served to further banish any ominous shadows and left it with a comforting aura. Despite the presence of fire everywhere, the room was at a fair temperature.

And on the bed closest to the door was Katara, carefully propped upright against the wall with her robes open over the swollen girth of her midsection. Two healers, easily recognized as from the Water Tribe due to their flowing blue outfits, were on either side of her and skillfully bending water on the skin over the womb. The silver-white glow of the Healing Touch served to ease the pain and stress, but it was quite evident that their patient was still in a world of discomfort. Suki was holding on to her left hand, and Mai sat on the adjacent bed watching with some amount of interest.

When Aang appeared, all eyes looked to him. The Waterbenders didn't stop their movements, but they did spare him respectful bows of the head. Mai waved, and Suki gave him a nod.

As for Katara…

Aang felt a jolt in his heart. His wife's features were flushed and slick with sweat, with quite a few strands of her dark hair out of place; as if she'd been through a fight. And it was only the beginning.

Katara, though briefly out of her pain, regarded him with very wide eyes and quivering lips. Her expression told him everything. She was bravely holding back her tears, showing glimmers of excitement for the impending baby and intense relief for his presence…but above all, she looked frightened. More so than he'd ever seen her. And right then he felt a surge of protectiveness within him.

"Aang…" she hoarsely breathed.

He practically jumped to her side and took a hold of her other hand. "I'm here, don't worry," he whispered comfortingly. The fingers of his free hand trembled as they caressed her moist face. "I won't leave you."

"I hope not…" she laughed weakly, eyes closing in comfort at his touch. "I'd have…to kill you."

"Quit talking and concentrate on your breathing," Suki softly ordered, before glancing up at her brother-in-law. "She's in-between labor pains at the moment, and doing well so far. We're glad you got here when you did."

"I came as fast as I could," the Airbender replied, his eyes still firmly locked on Katara. "Sokka and the others are in the waiting room too."

"Ah, good," Mai replied as she stood up. "I'll excuse myself, then. I believe I'll be of most use on the sidelines, rather than in here when it happens." Her eyes seemed as sharp as the daggers she wielded when they fell upon the Avatar, though her smile cut through the false harshness of the expression. "And call me back in when the baby gets here, alright?"

"No problem," Aang nodded with a smile back as the Fire Lady calmly made her exit.

Just then, one of the healers looked up toward Katara. "The baby is moving again, my lady," she informed. "Be ready for another contraction."

"Ohhh…" Katara whimpered, her wide eyes locking with Aang's as her breathing started to hitch. "I'm…I'm scared…I don't know if…I can take…much more…"

"You can," her husband insisted, cupping her face with his free hand. "I _know_ you can. You're strong enough, Katara, more than strong. You'll be fine."

"Easy…for _you_ to say!" she exclaimed, clenching her eyes shut. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she fought back her discomfort, and her hand gripped Aang's with all of its strength. The healers continued their delicate work, banishing the pain wherever it appeared.

Aang felt like he was being torn apart himself, just by watching. It wasn't just sympathy pain that he was feeling; it was the pain that he shared with his spiritual other half, calling to him in need, just for his soothing comfort. And he couldn't dare break his word…he wouldn't leave Katara's side for the world.

"Can I push _yet?_" the prone Waterbender demanded in a slight growl to the healers.

"Not yet, my lady," answered one. Another of the physicians came around to her front. "We will let you know."

Katara let out a loud, pain-wrecked groan and sent a glare toward Aang. "When this is over, I'm going to make sure you _never come near me again."_

Despite the harshness of her words, her grip on his hand never faltered, and she kept him close instead of pushing him away. Remembering what Sokka had warned him of, Aang couldn't help but let his light-spirited side rise over the worry he was feeling. "That'd be pretty hard for me to do, considering how beautiful you are," he gently joked. Suki quirked an amused eyebrow at him.

Katara however didn't laugh. She kept a scowl on her face as it scrunched in pain and her body shivered. "Shut up, just shut up, you lecherous _idiot_…I'm serious, if you so much as _touch_ me, I'll water-whip you right in the—AAAGH…"

Shaking his head with a small smile, the young Avatar said nothing more, but squeezed her hand right back.

After a few moments, her breathing stilled and the contraction stopped to give her another break from its torment upon her body. Her breath came out as a shaky sob. "I'm…such a mess…"

"Shh…Katara," Aang softly urged, refusing to let go of her. "Just breathe."

"You're doing fine," Suki pressed on, and then turned her gaze up to Aang. "I'm going to see if Sokka will help. Having her brother by her side might calm her down a bit more too."

"Oh, don't you leave," Katara quickly protested.

The Kyoshi Warrior smiled. "Relax; Aang's right here with you, and we're all right outside. I promise."

Hesitant, the Waterbender acquiesced with a nod and let her sister-in-law exit the room. Besides the doctors, it was herself and her soul mate. At the thought, instantly, she felt guilt washing over her rushing heart. She was holding only a small amount of resentment towards him for putting her in this pain, and dually hated feeling that way…but still he was there all the same, and she was afraid of what she'd say to him next.

"Aang," she whimpered, clenching her eyes shut. "Please…don't leave me…don't…"

"I won't," he insisted, looking down to her with sincerity. "I promise."

She kept her gaze away from him, and he felt the need again, to be as close as possible and to prove to her that he would be steadfast. Scrutinizing their surroundings for a moment, he spared a quick apology to the healers in briefly interrupting their work before coaxing her to sit up just a bit more.

Katara winced at the brief movement before finding herself leaning back again, this time right against the Airbender's chest. He sat behind her on the bed, back lying against the wall, legs steadying her on either side. He still clutched her right hand in his, and his other arm rested beneath hers. The back of his free hand could soothingly touch her face, and the entire position allowed her to rest her entire body upon his and her head back against his shoulder. She was relying on his strength to hold her up, and he in turn had her against him as tightly as possible…as protected as he could make her. Aang wanted to endure it all with her, and as she knew this, she relaxed. His heartbeat fluttered against her back, and his breath was a tranquil tone in her ear.

"You can do this," he murmured, caressing her face. "_We_ can do this. For the baby."

She answered him with a low, painful whimper in her throat and a quick nod. Literally surrounded by him, his warmth and essence along with hers, Katara found her resolve returning. _I can. I hope._

The healers suddenly paused. As one of them signaled the physician waiting for the delivery, the other turned to the waiting pair. "This is it, my lady! Get ready."

The pain came like a tide, and as it did, Katara's head fell back as she gave out a shrill moan. "Oh, Spirits take you, Aang!" she roared. "You and all of your other past lives…!"

He neither moved an inch nor relinquished his grip. But at her statement, he breathed a soft laugh on her face. "Gee, I think they take offense to that."

_"AAAAANG…!"_

_

* * *

_

Back in the waiting area, all was silent and tense. Not a person said a word, and some even tried to hold back their breathing as if it would ruin the thick haze of anticipation in the moment.

Sokka paced back and forth near the door, arms crossed and gaze to the ground. Suki sat on the couch watching him, with Kimiye having fallen asleep in her lap. Zuko and Mai were lying against each other on a chair, eyes open and alert, staring off thoughtfully into space. Iroh sat back and sipped at his tea, every so often glancing back to the door. And one of Toph's feet tapped rhythmically on the floor as she sprawled back on a pillow.

Finally, Sokka broke the silence with a loud groan. "This is absolutely _nerve-wracking._ I don't think I can just stand out here with my sister crying out in pain."

"Then go in, Boomerang Butt," Toph sighed. "You're annoying the rest of us anyway."

"But…I can't. She didn't ask for me." He slumped. "This is one of those times where I wonder if she even needs me at all."

"Sokka, you know that's not true," his wife gave him a reassuring smile. "You're her brother; you'll always be important to her. You knew when you were growing up and had to go your separate ways that this was coming…but at least you can always be there for her and your little nephew or niece, right?"

At the thought, the warrior smiled slowly. "Yeah…true."

It was then that Iroh came up and slipped a cup of tea in his hand. "And let me tell you from experience, my young friend. Next to having your own child, there isn't a happier feeling in the world than knowing you're about to become an uncle. Someone else for a child to love, and someone to come to in those times when he feels that he can come to nobody else."

Overhearing this, Zuko hung his head and discreetly smiled. Mai tightened her arms around him.

"Just be patient," Toph waved her hand. "Trust me; we're _all_ worried right now. Not just you."

Suki let out a giggle. "The mighty Blind Bandit, worried?"

"You're lucky you're holding a kid, or I'd show you just how 'mighty' I am, too," Toph snarked back.

"No Earthbending in the palace, Toph," Zuko said for about the millionth time.

She only snorted and continued to lazily recline on the pillow. The banter in the group started to cool off into small talk and then into silence again, heavy and full of anxiety, as one of their dearest friends started to give birth beyond a tightly-closed door.

* * *

Things weren't all that peaceful in the infirmary. Katara was breathing hard, and each exhalation was coupled with a scream. All the while, the healers worked carefully to comfort her, and the palace physician kept shooting instructions over the noise. "Alright, Master Katara, again. On three, I want you to push!"

"_Again?_" she roared. "The…the head should be there by now! AAH…! I don't trust this Fire Nation quack!"

"Katara, it's okay," Aang soothed, gripping her shoulders tightly and holding her close. "She's a midwife, and Zuko ordered her to be here. And you have Water Tribe doctors here who'll make sure things go right."

"Oh, right!" Katara growled, her eyes bloodshot as she attempted to open them. "You're _all_ in on it!"

Ignoring the accusations, the physician held her steady. "I can see the head. Just a few pushes. On three, now. One…two…PUSH!"

The command went through to Katara's very instincts, and she did as instructed. Aang helped to hold her forward as she worked through every sickening, lurching, fiery spasm through her body in order to bring the child into the world, fighting with all of the will she had to spare.

She could barely feel what was going on, or hear what the doctors or her husband was saying. All of her thoughts directed her to push, push, and keep pushing.

And then…relief.

She gasped and fell backward, held tightly by Aang. Her heart thundered, drumming too loudly in her ears. The Waterbender panted heavily, eyes tightly shut, as exhaustion overcame her. The pain was leaving, ever so slowly.

And somewhere far off, a baby's shrill cry pierced the air.

"You did it," Aang whispered in her ear, his tone full of warmth.

Katara gave him a tired smile before succumbing to her exhaustion, closing her eyes for a few moments.

* * *

When the Waterbender awoke, only about five minutes later, her surroundings both looked and felt foggy. But her senses came back quickly enough, and as she lay unmoving, she remembered where she was and why she was suddenly feeling much lighter than before.

"Katara?"

A pale hand with a blue arrow painted upon it brushed over her face. She glanced back to notice Aang, still propping her up against him. He had on a soft, loving smile.

She took a deep breath to make sure she was still conscious, and smiled back. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied, nuzzling her head with his. "It's over."

Katara let out a shaky laugh after a second. "Yeah…it's over." Her eyes closed, and she simply let herself be drawn into the pure, unending devotion he had given her through the whole ordeal. He warmed her body and sent little chills over her skin with every comforting pass of his fingers. As the moment reminded her of her stress-induced behavior, she frowned. "I'm sorry, Aang. About what I said."

He shook his head. "It's okay. I knew it was the pain talking. I wasn't about to think you were serious about water-whipping me in the…well, wherever it was," he smirked.

His wife giggled, despite herself. "Well, that, and this morning. I…I didn't mean to make you think that I didn't need you. I needed you more than I knew."

Smiling, Aang simply held her close. "I knew that, too. It's our first baby, and we were both scared. And now we know what to expect next time."

"Heh, 'next time'?" Katara snickered, pulling away to give him a grimace. "You really want to put me through that again?"

"Well…" he sheepishly smiled and pecked her on the lips. "Only if _you_ want more children with me."

Quirking an eyebrow, she grinned and kissed him back. "Tell you what…I'll let you know."

They both shared a quiet laugh as Katara found the strength to sit up once more. She looked around. "Where's the baby?" she inquired.

"Over here, my lady," one of the Water Tribe healers smiled as she came in from the cleaning room of the infirmary. In her arms, she held a tiny bundle wrapped in silver-and-blue cloth.

Katara's eyes widened, and instinctively she reached her arms out. Carefully, the healer handed it to the smiling parents and bowed deeply. "Congratulations, Master Katara, and Avatar Aang. You have a healthy boy."

Slowly, Katara unwrapped some of the cloth to see the sleeping child's face, with Aang looking over her shoulder. In his facial features, he very much resembled the Avatar; the sprig of hair on his head even had a familiar black-brown color. He was neither as pale as his father, nor as dark as his mother…his skin tone seemed to fall between them both.

The Airbender sniffed and wiped a small tear from his eye. "He's…wow. He's beautiful, Katara."

"Mm…a handsome little thing," she cooed, brushing her finger over his tiny face. "Just like his dad."

Aang blushed at the words and reached his hand around, cradling his head in his palm and running his thumb over the short strands of hair. "We have a son. It's too incredible." He turned his gaze lovingly back to his wife and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you more," Katara answered sincerely, turning around and gently handing the baby to his father to hold. "So…do you want to name him?"

"Me?" Aang blinked, smiling widely as he looked between his wife and son.

"Sure," she smiled. "You never know; he could be an Airbender, so he could have an Air Nomad name. And anyway, it seems like the thing to do, having the Avatar name our firstborn."

"Heh, it's appropriate at least," Aang chuckled before looking down at the small life in his arms, brushing his index finger over his cheek. The baby reflexively reached a tiny hand up to grasp his finger.

"…Tenzin," he said at last.

"Tenzin?" Katara echoed, trying the name for herself.

Aang nodded. "It's an honorable Air Nomad name; one of the more famous monks in our history had it." He smiled. "Besides, he kinda looks like a Tenzin."

The Waterbender gazed lovingly between her husband and son, two of the most important men in her life. "I guess he does. Tenzin it is," Katara affirmed, beaming.

Little more than minutely aware of the world around him, Tenzin continued to sleep soundly in the warmth of his blankets and bathed in the bonding energies of his parents.

After a few moments, the healer politely interrupted. "May I ask your friends to come in now?"

Aang shared a glance with Katara before the two nodded their affirmation. Bowing, she went to the door and lightly called out. They could hear excited shuffling on the outside, and not a few seconds later, every member of their close family lined themselves at the door and peered in, Sokka at the forefront.

His eyes were wide as they fell on Katara and Aang, the two closest people in his life next to his parents, and the bundle they held between them. "Aw…"

"Hey, everybody," Aang smiled widely, carefully indicating the baby. "Meet our son, Tenzin."

"Son?" Toph echoed in quiet excitement. "Yep, I knew it was gonna be a boy. My Earthbending sight is _never_ wrong."

"Tenzin, huh?" Sokka smiled as he peered down at his new nephew, trying hard not to gush out loud. "Heh…you didn't think to name him after his uncle?"

Katara lightly slapped his shoulder. "He's _our_ baby, Sokka. And it's Aang's honor to name him first."

"Yeah, I figured," he grinned and reached down to tickle him. "Lookit you, little guy…all ready to see the world?"

Suki and Kimiye came up beside him, the latter just tilting her head in curiosity at the child that she'd eventually come to know as her cousin. "He's so cute," the Kyoshi Warrior beamed. "And he looks just like Aang."

"There's a bit of Katara in the nose, I think," Sokka hummed. "But, I dunno. He's still pretty squishy."

"Hey, that's the Avatar's kid you're talking about," Aang mock-warned.

The group shared a giggle. The final people to come into the room were Zuko, Mai, and Iroh, and their smiles were as wide as the others had when they set eyes on the baby.

"Eight years ago I'd have never seen this happening; me welcoming the Avatar into the palace and letting him and his wife have a baby here," Zuko pointed out, his emotion evident in his normally-rough voice. "And now…look where we are. Congratulations, Aang…Katara."

"Indeed," Iroh beamed. "This is a day that will be forever etched in history, and in our hearts."

Mai leaned in to whisper to Zuko, her eyes never leaving the small form. "I think I'm liking the idea of a baby a little bit more, now."

"Welcome to the world, Mini-Twinkletoes," Toph grinned.

As their friends and family surrounded the young couple, they shared a long, loving look into each other's eyes before letting it fall back onto the child between them. This tiny bundle of life, born of their love and destined to live in a time of peace, didn't know just what destiny had in store. The world was large, and he had so much to learn. But Aang and Katara welcomed the future completely, wherever it would take them.

And in their shared gaze, they had a singular thought.

_This is what we fought for._


	11. Legends

((AN: I had quite some fun writing this chapter, for a few different reasons; little Tenzin and his childishness, and his parents' interactions with him and with each other. I can just imagine that even after they had a kid, they still wouldn't always be serious and on-task. They still have some fun at times. x3

I really do imagine that members of the Gaang would have kept diaries or something similar during their trips. Katara kept one in one of the canon Avatar comics shown in Nick Magazine, and The Lost Scrolls has some very cute versions of some episodes from the series told in journal-fashion in different points of view. It was that book that gave me the idea for them musing on turning their journals into published books. Also, yes, I can very well imagine Aang trying to read one of Katara's journals. Hey, he let curiosity get the better of him in "The Fortuneteller", didn't he? ;3 The side-story about Wan Shi Tong returning lost knowledge to the Air Temples was something I also thought about before. The library had a -lot- of potential, but alas, it -had- to be brought back to the Spirit World. It seemed like a great idea to expand on. x3

Enjoy, everyone! And thanks again for all the wonderful comments and faves and whatnot...every one of you is just too freakin' awesome; and I never thought that my stories would be liked so much. ^^ It just gives me more incentive to write what I truly like to. If nobody noticed it, I wrote a short one-shot featuring Toph and The Duke that doesn't really belong in this collection and thus went separately, so, tell me whatcha think of that one too if you want.

Mike and Bryan own these guys. I do not. So don't sue, it does no good. x3 ))

* * *

Even though she'd lived there for long enough to get used to it, Katara still had to admit that the Southern Air Temple's library was an impressive sight.

As she strolled in, her eyes wandered slowly upward…past the monumental shelves of books, to the intricately-carved ceiling that still hid cracks in the foundation from its past destruction at the hands of the Fire Nation. Ever since the renovations, however, this room like the rest of the Temple was returned to better than its former glory. Books, scrolls, and tomes lined every shelf and the white stone walls wore colorful banners from every Nation.

Added to the awe-inspiring appearance was the feeling of spirituality pervading the silence and grandeur. When the monks were alive, this was an educational and holy place to store their priceless scrolls and marks on history. It had become so again when the books were returned to their shelves—copies of which were even thought lost to the world.

It was for a particular reason at this time every day that the Waterbender made her way into the library, with her five-year-old son following close on her heels. She had taken it upon herself to teach young Tenzin how to read, and he was always excited enough to learn what new things he could from either of his parents: simple and light Airbending drills in the morning, reading and other such schooling after lunch, and family time in the evening with supper was their schedule if they didn't have places to go or things to do.

Tenzin rushed in past her, his laughter echoing in the labyrinthine intricacies of the vast chamber. Katara watched him with a small smile: he indeed had his father's energy. It was no surprise when they found out that he was an Airbender not a year ago, for which they were both rather proud.

Stopping and looking around, he finally turned his silvery gray eyes back up to Katara with a smile. "What're we doing today, Mama?"

"Well," she hummed in thought, "You've got the alphabet down. I thought we'd work on some basic characters today, and have you practice writing. You're never too young to learn how to write."

"Mmkay!" the youngster chirped. "Then can I look for a picture book with Kochi?"

"I don't see why not," Katara smiled, and then turned in surprise to see something dart into her line of sight. When it appeared in front of them, as if summoned by name, the Waterbender laughed. "Heh, seems he found you first."

Standing before the mother and son was a diminutive canine-like creature with orange-brown fur and an inquisitive, almost sentient face. It was a fox, but not just any…a Knowledge Seeker.

The unusual creature's presence was thanks to a short but harrowing trip to the Spirit World made by Avatar Aang long ago, to convince a spiteful Wan Shi Tong to fill the temples with the history and knowledge of his people; for he was determined not to let it be lost to the world. As a result, every filled library in each of the four Air Temples was watched over by the spirits, and at least one or two Knowledge Seekers wandered them at any given time. Katara knew that the creatures were harmless, and she and her husband never feared for their son's life when among them. As partial to animals as Tenzin was—another trait he shared with his father—he'd befriended and affectionately named the Southern Temple's little guardian of knowledge.

"Hi, Kochi!" Tenzin said with a bow to the creature. "I'm being taught writing today!"

The fox tilted his head and wagged his tail, regarding the Avatar's son with a playful curiosity in his deep black eyes.

Katara chuckled. "You can go with him now if you want. I need to look for a good scroll to use. Remember to give him an offering before leaving; it's important to respect the spirits."

"Yes, Mama, I remember," the child grinned and placed a hand on the fox's flank. "C'mon, Kochi, I wanna find the one about the sky bison."

The fox gave a little yip in compliance and proceeded to lead the child towards a particular section of the library.

As he explored, Katara kept up her walk along the corridor to the room's central rotunda. Once there, she chose a section and began to browse along the shelves.

But not a moment after she stepped in, her leg brushed a rust-colored box that was lying on the floor beside a bench. It was a small chest for holding things like trinkets and mementos; she blinked curiously, wondering what it was doing there instead of on a table or someplace where one wouldn't trip.

She bent down to pick it up and placed it on the bench, opening the lid to scrutinize its contents. Inside, to her surprise, laid a few familiar leather-bound books. Each of them had the crest of the Water Tribe etched on its surface.

Her eyes widened. "No way," Katara muttered, picking up one of the journals. Inside she recognized her own handwriting upon the slightly-aged paper as it retold stories of her youth and the events on the journeys she took with Aang and her brother, Sokka. It was all there: starting from the beginning, every record she had thought to make. It comprised of four small books in total. "I can't believe I forgot these…"

"What'd you find, Mama?" Tenzin inquired as he trotted back toward her, a large picture book carried under his arm, with Kochi following.

Glancing back to her son, Katara's face broke into a soft smile. "I found all my old journals...books I wrote myself."

"_You_ wrote books?" Tenzin blinked in surprise. "What about?"

She chuckled softly, her eyes glancing upward as she recalled various memories. "Lots of stuff. I kept these when your dad and I were kids, and we traveled the world together with your Uncle Sokka and later with Toph. I liked to write about things that we did and places that we saw."

"Oooh, that must've been _so_ neat!" the little Airbender stated excitedly as he peered up to her face. "I like those stories, like the ones Daddy tells. I wish I could travel the world like you did!"

Katara laughed softly and ran her fingers through his dark hair. "Maybe someday you will, sweetie. But this is a good reason to learn how to write…so that when you do, you can keep a journal and write books about the things you see too."

"Yeah!" Tenzin grinned. "I wanna write about everything! You and Daddy, and Aunt Suki and Uncle Sokka and _his_ funny stories. And Cousin Kimiye! Hey, can I write about the next trip we take to Ba Sing Se, or the Fire Nation palace?"

"You can write about whatever you like. That's the fun of it," his mother nodded, her smile matching his enthusiasm. "But you'll have to learn first." Matter-of-factly placing the journal back in the chest, she picked Tenzin up to sit him at the table in the center of the rotunda. "And it takes a lot of practice, so you'll have to work hard."

"Hard work?" he whined and slumped. "Aw…and I thought Daddy's lessons were hard."

Katara laughed. "Believe me, Tenzin, your dad and I know a lot about hard work. You're not exhausted until you have to do things like teach _yourself_ how to bend, like I had to at first. And don't get me started on _his_ hard work as the Avatar."

The child giggled. "But that stuff sounds more fun!"

"Well it is…anything becomes fun, if you like it enough to work hard at it," the Waterbender grinned. "Now, tell you what…if you _do_ work hard at your lessons, I'll read you some of my journal as a bedtime story."

Tenzin perked up, eyes brightening at the anticipation of hearing more about his parents' exciting adventures. "Okay, I will!"

"That's my good little Airbender," Katara laughed and ruffled his hair. "Now, no more playing; let's begin."

Through the next half-hour, the young mother kept patiently to the task of keeping her son focused on the lessons at hand. They started with a brief review on the alphabet, and ended with her watching him try to emulate each character on a piece of parchment with a quill pen. Then, they went over some basic words and pronunciations, some of which he had trouble with; her gentle encouragement however had kept the boy's frustration to a minimum. Katara discovered long ago that one of her favorite things to do was to teach; Tenzin was as diligent a student as the love of her life once was, albeit perhaps a bit less patient, but always eager to get it right.

Once the lesson was finished, the energetic child was let loose to play a little more with Kochi while she was left to her own reading. Her attention returned once more to the journals from her adventures, and she found herself marveling at the memories that she'd thankfully managed to record for all time.

She laughed at the memory of Makapu Village and how eager she was back then to hear her predictions of the future from Aunt Wu. She shook her head at how angry she would have been when writing about the Fire Nation or how Zuko once used to be. She snorted when she read every entry about how Sokka annoyed her or how Toph started arguments.

Her heart's pace picked up a little when she read the entries about herself and Aang…their first brush of the lips in the Cave of Two Lovers, their performance at the secret dance party in the Fire Nation…all the way to their most memorable kiss on the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon before a beautiful autumn sunset.

And then she turned back to the entries about how she feverishly kept him healed and alive for almost a month, after he had been shot with lightning in Ba Sing Se's catacombs…and felt tears returning to her eyelids. The calligraphy on those pages was much sketchier than any of the others, and she could feel the boiling emotions in the ink as if they had been trapped there with each stroke of the quill.

It was there she looked up from the tear-stained pages and sighed thoughtfully. _I wonder if Aang kept any records of the journey. We could get these stories published…the world would love to know about everything we've done for them, if our son gets such a joy from it too._

_

* * *

_

Nearby, Tenzin giggled as he leaped off of Kochi's back. The fox yipped playfully and turned towards the child with a tilted head.

"Thanks for the help," he grinned and picked a small piece of dried meat from his pocket, tossing it to him to catch. "Here's your offering. See you tomorrow!"

As the fox caught the food with a wagging tail and trotted off, Tenzin turned around and started back toward his mother. Then suddenly, he stopped, having thought he heard a rush of air echoing in the chamber.

After a second of silence, he thought nothing of it and kept going, only to see the book he'd picked out earlier floating by.

His eyes squinted in confusion at the sight. "My book's flying away. But books don't fly. Do they?" he blinked. And then, he smirked. "Daddy?"

Nothing but encompassing quiet answered him. Tenzin turned around every which way, looking up and about for the one person he knew that could skillfully manipulate the air in that way. "Daddy! I know you're there!" he called again.

Then, suddenly, he let out a surprised yelp and a loud giggle as something landed behind him and scooped him up.

Turning around, Tenzin beheld his father's sparkling gray eyes as he laughed. "Snuck up on you again!" Aang grinned.

The child wriggled with frustration in the older Airbender's grip. "That's not funny! I'll see you coming next time!"

"That'll be the day. It's _impossible_ to see _me_ coming," his father laughed again and ruffled his hair. "How'd your lessons go today?"

"They went great!" Tenzin beamed. "Mama's teaching me how to write, so I can go on adventures and write books like she did."

"Really?" Aang's eyebrows quirked with interest. "That oughta be fun. Where is she now?"

"At the table," he pointed back down the line of shelves. "She's reading one of those journal thingies that she wrote when you guys traveled the world. She said she'd read a story from it to me if I worked hard!"

"And did you?" Aang smiled.

"Yep!"

"Good," the father nodded with another laugh as he set his child down again. "Now go and retrieve your book; I'll be over here with your mom."

Smiling as he watched Tenzin trot off, Aang strolled back down to the central rotunda. As he beheld his wife immersed in one of the books, he chuckled inwardly. _She looks exactly as she did whenever she wrote something down._

Busy as the Waterbender was with reliving her memories, she jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder and relaxed when a kiss was planted on her cheek. "Hey, Aang," she smiled as she turned on the chair to face her husband. "I thought you were out flying."

The Avatar shrugged, grinning back. "I was, but then I thought it'd be a good idea to drop in on my family."

"I _thought_ I heard someone dropping in," Katara chuckled, closing the book she was reading.

Aang glanced curiously over her shoulder. "Are those your journals? I haven't seen those in forever."

"Yeah; it's pretty weird, isn't it?" she sighed. "I stored so many memories in these. I almost thought I lost them. Glad I didn't, though; it's nice to see these again and read my old handwriting…it's all here. The iceberg, the Serpent's Pass, the invasion…"

"Almost a year of history," the Airbender marveled. "And so much done in that time."

Katara nodded. "Yeah…and you know, if we keep these stories, they could become legends in the future."

Aang nodded in thoughtful agreement. "Yeah…I like the idea of our adventures printed for everyone to know about. Then at least they'd get the real story instead of the Ember Island Players' version."

"Oh good spirits, yes," The Water Tribe woman snorted and glanced up toward her beloved. "I was also wondering…did you ever keep any journals during the war?"

"A few," Aang chuckled. "I didn't write as much as you did. Just about the most fun memories and the most interesting stuff."

"What was the most interesting?" Katara inquired with curiosity.

She noticed a tinge of pink crossing his cheeks. "You."

At that, Katara felt herself blushing as well. "You wrote about me?"

"Well hey, I had a crush on you at the time, so…yeah," he answered with a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head.

Amused—and charmed—by the revelation, Katara laughed softly. "That's actually kinda sweet…think you could let me read what you wrote sometime?"

"No way!" Aang snorted playfully. "They were a little embarrassing. Besides, you never let _me_ read _your_ journals."

"Well, I'll let you read them now if you want," Katara snickered back. "It's not like I have anything in here that I wouldn't show you. Besides, that was a long time ago, and we're married, so…we should share our personal history."

"That's a good idea," he admonished with a smile and moved in to place a kiss on her lips. She returned it with a loving hum, and he hesitantly pulled away. "But I still won't let you read mine," he grinned upon parting.

"Oh, come on!"

"Not a chance."

Katara pouted. "Alright, fine…I'll find them myself."

"No you won't," Aang persisted. "Besides, you shouldn't give into temptation like that. I mean heck, I held _myself_ back from reading yours even when I had the chance. Even the one with the red cover on it."

"Red cover?" Katara felt the heat rise in her face. Among her travel journals, there was one she kept for rather personal thoughts. "But, I never showed _that_ one to anyone. How'd you know what it looked like?"

There was a pause. Then, he slapped his palm to his mouth, suddenly aware of what he revealed. "Oh, monkey-feathers."

Katara's jaw dropped. "You went through my stuff?"

"Yeah, but I didn't touch the journals, I swear!" he held his hands up. "You asked me to look for your comb in one of your bags once, and I happened to stumble on them."

"I kept the journals in a _box,_ Aang."

"Yeah, but…they…ugh…" The Airbender stuttered and hung his head shamefully. "Okay, you caught me. I let curiosity get the better of me."

"And you read them?"

"No! Well…I…might've skimmed _one_…"

Silence again. Aang kept his eyes away from her face. He was always able to scrutinize her reaction without seeing it.

Then, he heard Katara's voice evenly break the tension. "Aang, dearest?"

"Yes, my love?" he nervously squeaked.

He looked up to behold his wife's face, a vengeful grin playing across it. In her hand, she had bent a sphere of water from the basin of one of the potted plants.

_"Run."_

_

* * *

_

From where he sat browsing through the pictures in his book, Tenzin heard a sudden clamor from the table, like one of the chairs falling. Across from him, he could see his father rushing past on an Air Scooter and several small icicles being flung in his direction.

Through Aang's chants of "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" and Katara's boasts of "Just wait'll I catch up to you, you sneak!", the child had to let out a laugh; as if rather used to this sort of banter between them by now.

_I wonder if anyone else's parents are this weird._


	12. Fathering

((AN: This is something of a short chapter, and it jumps back in time again to Katara's pregnancy. I had the urge to write some very fluffy Kataang, and so I did. BECAUSE I CAN and because I absolutely love this pair. x3

I haven't much to say this time. Enjoy, all!

Mike and Bryan own these guys. I just borrow 'em sometimes. x3 ))

* * *

Katara let out another giggle, regarding her husband and his position as they lay comfortably on the cushions of their bed one night at their Southern Air Temple home. She was tickled with more amusement at the observant look on his face than any physical contact he'd made.

Aang, on the other hand, blinked only once to acknowledge her silent observations of him before returning his concentration to his edge of hearing. The beautiful and precious form of the Waterbender was sitting up on the mattress with her back resting against the pillows, and he had carefully lain himself between her knees. He had his head and hands pressed carefully over her belly, swollen after six months of having a growing child within.

It had become something of a nightly ritual for the two benders since Katara had started showing in her first pregnancy: before falling asleep, they bonded with the tiny life growing within her by feeling for movements. Sometimes they spoke or sang softly to it. Other times, like tonight, they were content in bathing in silent reverence of the life that they'd created together.

There were never enough words to say to fully appreciate the solemnity of the moment, and the serenity that they'd brought to the world just for the joy of those tender occasions. A lifetime of words could be said with their actions. Each pass of his fingertips over her midsection spoke volumes of awe and love. Each trek of her own palm over his head, cheek, and neck spoke of the eternal content she had while enveloped in his presence, immersed in his touch, and bearing his child.

The Airbender had his ear against the fold of her robe and his hands splayed over the smooth surface that he could feel beneath the soft fabric. With one eyebrow quirked, eyes rolled upward, and tongue sticking out from the side of his mouth as was his habit when concentrating on something, he took on a look of such fascinated innocence that Katara could have sworn she'd seen the twelve-year-old he once was behind the sparkling gray of his irises. She giggled again, with one fingertip idly tracing the sky-blue arrow stripe on his skull as he kept up his vigil on her womb.

Suddenly, his smile widened and eyes brightened. Something had impacted him on the side of his head; a quick bout of movement from within his wife. "There's another one!" he whispered in excitement.

Katara chuckled, resting one hand on the back of his neck and the other on her belly beside his head. "How many does that make now?"

"Nine, since we went to bed," he replied with a sweet sigh and a loving grin, never moving his face from its resting place on her body. "The kid really likes to move around, doesn't it?"

"I always say it'll have your energy," Katara smiled, watching him with curiosity. "You sure you don't want to move? Those kicks might hurt a little."

Aang snorted, lifting his head only a little to glimpse back into those mirthful ocean-blue eyes that he adored. "Katara, whenever I used to get kicked, it would come with air blasts, fire blasts, or with a rock hurtling at me. Compared to that, feeling a baby kicking my head doesn't hurt at all. I like it, in fact."

"You wouldn't feel that way if it were kicking you in the bladder," the Waterbender pointed out with a soft laugh.

He merely smiled and laid his head back over the soft and yet sturdy bump, closing his eyes and running his hands over the surface once more before letting his arms wrap about her waist and clasp over her backside. She leaned further back into the pillows and closed her own eyes with a warm sigh, losing herself in this moment of togetherness with Aang. It was times like these that told her just how loving a family they would be; like true soul mates, one could never bear it for long without the other by their side. That together they created bonds with their child long before it would see the world only enhanced the feeling that what they had was surely and truly _right._

After a long pause, Aang hummed and lifted himself to look fully into her eyes, his upper body weight supported on his arms as they stood on either side of her hips. "I think it's resting, finally," he spoke softly, as if a mistimed word would awaken the unborn child.

"That's good…I think I'll actually be able to sleep tonight." She lifted her gaze from her stomach to give him a tired, peaceful smile. "Y'know, Aang…I like it when I see that you're so excited about being a dad."

He blushed, smiling warmly. "Well…I'm going to have a child to call my own; with the first and only girl I ever loved…and will love forever. Of course I'm excited." He glanced down to the dome of flesh still rising and falling with each of her breaths beneath his chest. "Who wouldn't be?"

A splash of rosy red painted her cheeks in turn as she kept her eyes upon him. "Hearing you say that only tells me more what a wonderful father you'll be. You're always so ready to be deeply involved with it…with me…it's overwhelming sometimes."

As he watched her with his adoring smile, she breathed a thoughtful sigh. "It makes me wonder why there are fathers in the world who couldn't care less. Who see having children as a part of some duty, or to keep their names alive…or those who don't try, and who would abandon them as soon as look at them."

At the thought, the young Avatar's eyebrows furrowed. His expression was pensive and almost sad. "I know what you mean. When I first traveled the world as a kid, I sometimes couldn't believe what types of people I saw…living in such different ways than I was raised to live. I still don't believe that everyone is so cold, evil, or heartless as they seem…but all the same, I'm sad and sickened at the thought of what could make them that way."

"It hurts a little more when you see examples close to home," Katara pointed out, thoughtfully twisting knots into her robe with her fingers. "Like Zuko. He said that his family was once a happy one, but still, what eventually happened makes me wonder whether his father ever loved his children at all."

Aang nodded agreeably. "And not only him...Toph's parents. They love her, of course, but her own father is still often quite distant…a part of love is knowing when to respect and let go of your child when you have to." He let one of his fingers drift back up to her stomach as he settled his weight back on his knees. "What makes me happy, though, is that we know far more fathers who love and support their children with their lives. The Mechanist for Teo…Tyro for Haru…and of course, there's _your_ dad," he added with a grin toward Katara. "And I see the same with Sokka and Kimiye."

The Waterbender's face broke into another smile, bringing her out of her darker thoughts about the injustices of the world. "Yes…true." She regarded her husband with one of those sincerely loving gazes that made him feel as if he could melt right then and there. "And you'll be among the best of all of them. I know it."

His cheeks reddened again, his gaze shyly averting hers. "Thank you, Katara…I'll try my best," he promised as he moved closely over her again, holding himself above her body like a protective tent. One of his hands moved over the front of her robe to open it and display the dark tone of her skin. He leaned down and placed a feathery kiss on the peak of her exposed belly; silently sealing the promise he made to the child as well.

Tickled by the actions of his affectionate touches on her bare midriff, Katara let out another quiet giggle. Aang smiled at the reaction and continued to hover over her, playfully drawing invisible designs on her belly with his fingers.

After a second of enjoying his attention, Katara murmured. "It makes me curious though…about _you."_

He looked up, pausing from his delicate ministrations with his fingertips. "How so?"

"Well," she drew and nestled comfortably into the pillows, "About your real parents. I know you told me you were taken from them when there was the possibility that you were the Avatar. Do you ever wonder about them?"

Her inquiry surprised him slightly. "Well…only sometimes," he admitted. "Gyatso and the monks were the only family I ever really knew; and I accepted it. But back when Roku was showing me his past, I watched him die…and then saw myself as a baby, when the Avatar spirit was reborn." His eyes closed. "I only caught a glimpse of my parents. Not even enough to see their faces. And to this day it makes me wonder what kind of people they were, other than mere Air Nomads."

He felt Katara's hand comfortingly rubbing his arm as he continued. "I asked about them once, when I was little. Gyatso assured me that it was for the best; that they knew I needed to be given to the monks and to be trained. I was confused and wondered if they ever even wanted me. He looked at me with a smile and assured me that if they had the choice, they would have surely wanted to keep me."

He bit his lip to keep the tears from appearing. His voice took an ever-so-soft tone. "I take his word for it even now. I will never know them. But it was a part of my fate, and I was happy to have my people to guide me in their stead. And then when _they _were gone…"

Aang looked into her eyes; the same eyes belonging to the same girl that brought him back to the living world and kept him there for all time. He flashed back to the moment he first saw her, and his heart raced. He thanked the spirits for the millionth time that his life turned out as perfectly as it did.

"When they were gone...I was happy to have _you._ You, and your brother and our friends. I still am." The Airbender wiped his eyes with his arm and sniffed quickly. "So yes, I'll sometimes wonder about my parents. And I'll remember that I have a true family right in front of me. And because of it, I'm determined to be a father that my child will always know."

Katara felt herself releasing a few tears at his tender and sincere declaration, and she reached up to cup his face in her hands to dry his eyelids with her fingers. "…And _I'm_ determined, as I always have been, to care about you as your family would have. I feel that they'd be proud of you. Because I certainly am."

In the depths of his heart, furious warmth overtook him upon hearing her whispered promise. Letting his tears flow into her hands, he inched further over Katara and placed his forehead to hers. The contact lingered for several comfortably silent moments as their feelings revealed what words never could. Half-lidded eyes met half-lidded eyes, and their very souls conversed with hidden meanings that only the two of them could understand.

Soon enough, Katara's hand reached behind his head to pull him closer. Her lips joined with his, and the love between them only flowed onward with urgent need…farther than the wind could ever travel, and deeper than the ocean could ever be. The long kiss held within it more promises to always be there, and more than enough fervent passion to drown them both.

It was Aang who broke the kiss, but even then, he didn't dare move an inch away from her. His breath tickled her face as he spoke, and she felt his palms again paying respect to the life the couple had created upon her stomach. "This whole endeavor…and being able to create life like this…really is a miracle." He gave her a smile that told her of his unending adoration and respect. "You've blessed me, Katara."

She rather shyly looked away, a deep blush on her features. "You helped too, silly," the Waterbender giggled. "You blessed us both."

He breathed a laugh along with her and kissed her longingly once again. "Okay, compromise…we blessed each other."

With a nod, she returned the kiss and held him close, sliding her arms over his shoulders. Once she could look at him again, she gave him a coy grin. "Y'know…I oughta consider myself a pretty lucky girl, being blessed by the Avatar."

"Oho…" Aang barked a quiet chuckle, leaning back from her and kneeling above her stomach. As he gave her a mischievous smirk, she remembered with a furiously warm face just where he had been sitting, as his hands slid up to rest on her knees on either side of him. "And maybe, my forever girl, you'd like me to 'bless' you again?"

"Aang!" she hissed, mirthfully slapping his shoulder.

He snickered loudly and leaned into her face. At that moment, Katara found it hard to decide whether to be distracted by his cool breath on her neck, or the feel of his hand wandering up and down her bare leg. "I'm not hearing a 'no'," he observed in a sing-song way.

"I'm not saying a 'yes'," she sang back. Despite the protests that she vocalized, the Airbender knew that he was only being drawn further to the abyssal need to be with her, and he also knew that she was beckoning him…her eyes, her hands, everything told him to only come closer. She inhaled swiftly when his lips met her neck and trailed over her ear, and she sank back into the pillows. "C'mon, quit doing that," she half-heartedly groaned. "You don't want the baby hearing us talking like this, do you?"

He laughed softly into her ear, sending shockwaves through her body. Turning to face her, he spoke matter-of-factly against her lips. "Then we won't _talk._"

The minute they came together in another kiss, Katara let her resolve drain away. It was nearly pointless to argue with him in that moment; and moreover because her thundering heart was begging her not to try resisting the one she loved. And happily so, she didn't.

As the two became lost in each other and the world melted all around, Aang made sure to mind the girth of her pregnant belly with the utmost care. He paid homage to his true family with his mind and heart, and Katara knew that she would curse fate for all time if it ever tried to break them apart again.


	13. Bets and Battles

((AN: This started out as an idea where Tenzin and his relatives muse on his dad's powers as the Avatar...then other children and people got involved, and it ended up being inspired by the whole "my dad can beat up your dad" argument that kids have sometimes. x3 After the seriousness of the last couple of chapters, I thought this one was just something downright fun to write. And we also have fan-made Maiko spawn here finally too. =D

Enjoy! And remember, Mike and Bryan own all and sundry here, except for the fan-spawn, and even then I'd gladly relinquish 'em to them. x3 ))

* * *

The Avatar was surrounded.

Inwardly, Aang sighed as his eyes darted between each individual standing and marking their places on three corners of the expansive room somewhere underneath the Fire Nation palace. It just _couldn't_ be a nice, relaxing and short vacation for his family when he brought them to visit, oh no…he had to have not one, not two, but _three_ of his old teachers there at the same time. And soon enough, Toph made a suggestion that made him cringe and his blood rush with anticipation at the same time.

She had said the words "triple-teaming".

And that was how the Airbender found himself that day, clad in naught but his trousers, silently staring down the three benders that stood in separate fighting stances around him in a perfect triangle. The room itself was a chamber near the underground secret passages winding under Fire Lord Zuko's home, which was reconfigured into a training arena fit for any type of bender. The center was a giant circle of earth with several rocks jutting out of the sand. Lining the sides of the room was a square mote in which water continuously flowed from the mouths of several ornate dragon statues. Vents in the roof kept the room at a comfortable temperature for Firebenders…and thus, because the air wasn't stifling, an Airbender could take advantage. Torches in sconces set at each corner kept it lit. It had become the perfect place for some impromptu training…everyone had agreed on that earlier that day as they all gave Aang some very coy looks that had his stomach dropping to his feet.

Not that he didn't love to train, for he was diligent at keeping his discipline in all four elements as sharp as possible…but sometimes his friends were pretty devoid of mercy when they sparred with him.

He looked at each of them in turn again. Behind him on his left was Zuko, the Fire Lord and one of the fiercest Firebenders. Behind him on his right was Toph, the blind Earthbender renowned the world over for her mastery. And directly in front of him was Katara, whose face was normally that of his beloved wife; but for that session, she took on the visage of his powerful and relentless Waterbending master.

There were several others there too, but they had resigned to watching the event from a safe distance on the stone steps that passed for stadium-like seats. Sokka sat with a rather fascinated five-year-old Tenzin at his side. His wife, Suki, had a grinning seven-year-old Kimiye seated beside her next to her cousin. Mai, Zuko's wife, had her four-year-old twins sitting in her lap; Ursa and Kazu, a girl and a boy, both proven Firebenders who had yet to start their training until another year when their minds and reflexes could keep up with the harrowing discipline. Both bounced with excitement at getting to watch their father fight with the Avatar.

As it always did, the silence of anticipation seemed to stretch on slowly for the monk at the center of the stadium. The training session had also turned into something of a contest with rules. Three rounds of tests—one for defense, one for offense, and one for an all-out-match—would be the extent of the exercise. He could not use Airbending, only any combination of the other three elements…and nor could he call upon the Avatar State. In turn, his teachers could not use the most powerful of their skills; such as Zuko's lightning. Otherwise, it would be an all-out battle.

Antsy as he was, Aang admitted to also being quite excited. He was Fully Realized, but in Earthbending and Firebending he hadn't yet reached the highest levels, skilled enough as he was. The peace in the world was part of the reason for his slacking, and for certain whenever he was with either of his two friends with their skills they would make sure to try bringing him to their level. And this time, Katara wasn't about to be left out either.

As the three challengers settled into their stances, Aang's bare feet rooted themselves into the earth and he rolled his shoulders in preparation before bringing his arms out in front of him. His vision darted all around again before his eyes closed and he inhaled deeply to center himself.

"Alright," he murmured, furrowing his eyebrows. "Let's do this."

He waited, eyelids shut, feet sending vibrations through the earth to regard their still forms. His opponents looked between one another, wondering who would take the cue to go first.

In a flash, Aang felt a body pivot and the heat of intense flames thrown towards him. With Zuko's first attack the Avatar's swift block, the fight was on. "Defense, Aang!" he ordered.

* * *

"Whoa," Sokka's jaw dropped as the battle started with ferocity and kept on a brisk pace in the first round…and the children followed suit, gawking with awestruck gleams in their eyes. Aang was effectively sensing and blocking each attack made toward him…even taking some of those attacks and using them to parry and defend against others. The way the Avatar fought with each element in turn and sometimes even brought two at once together was always something to watch…he was strong and his movements lithe and poetic.

As he brought rocks from the ground to block Zuko's fire blasts and leaped out of the way of several sheets of ice brought on by Katara, Tenzin let out a shrill cheer. "Go, Dad! Show 'em what the Avatar can do!"

"Wow, Uncle Aang's amazing!" Kimiye exclaimed in laughter, and looked up to meet her parents' eyes. "Of course, _you_ guys can take him too, right? You're pretty strong."

"Oh, I _wish,_" Sokka laughed. "Your mom and I aren't benders, Kim. Now, your old man can hold his own against benders most of the time, but Aang down there could kick my butt five ways to the moon." He leaned his head on his fist, taking on a grouchy expression. "I just _had_ to befriend the Avatar."

Suki chuckled and regarded her daughter. "Your father's right. If you're going to be a Kyoshi Warrior someday, one of the things you must understand is how to wisely choose your fights. If I were to go up against your uncle, I'd surely lose. So I wouldn't challenge him, knowing so."

Kimiye blinked in thought, and then nodded her understanding. "I'll remember that, Mama. I wanna be a strong warrior like you."

"Hey, I'm a warrior too," Sokka said, feigning dejection.

The children laughed, and Tenzin playfully gripped his arm. "You're really cool too, Uncle Sokka." Suddenly, he caught his father melting a wall of ice careening his way with a comet-like Firebending jab. "Oooh, but _that_ is _awesome!_"

On the other side of Suki, the twins shouted their own exuberant cheers. "C'mon, Daddy, you can take him! You're the Fire Lord!" Kazu exclaimed.

"Yeah, show him how the Fire Lord rules!" Ursa chimed in.

After a few moments of watching the Avatar narrowly avoid each attack, Toph could be heard calling out, "Offense now, Twinkletoes!" to signal the next round. This time, it was Aang who would be attacking, and his teachers parrying. He started with a quick leap that had him barreling into the earth, kicking up a shockwave of jutting rocks in all directions to break his opponents' roots…which would have succeeded if the blind Earthbender hadn't seen it coming and immediately leaped away from the next two entrapping moves made by the Avatar.

"You can do better than that, you pansy!" she roared.

"Dad, toss a fireball!" Kazu shouted from the stands.

"No, Dragon-Kick, Dragon-kick!" Ursa joined in.

"Guys, he's doing _offense_ now," Tenzin sent his young friends a look. "That means _they_ have to defend against _him."_

"Oh," Ursa giggled. "Forgot what 'offense' meant."

Her twin brother snorted, on the other hand. "Dad'll still beat him up."

Sokka let out a laugh and ruffled his nephew's hair. "You know quite a bit about fighting already, kid. I'm impressed."

Tenzin grinned proudly back. "Yeah, Daddy's teaching me."

"Say now, I hear talk you're an Airbender too, Ten." Suki smiled widely.

The child giggled shyly; he always grew flustered when he discussed his Airbending talents, as he got the impression that it was rather important. "Yeah, Aunt Suki. I know a few little moves, nothing big yet."

"What? Airbender? Seriously?" Sokka blinked, his voice shrill with surprise. "And nobody told me this?"

"Don't you remember?" Suki quirked an eyebrow. "Katara said so in her last letter. But then again, you always forget to read the mail."

"I was probably off doing something more important, like hunting," the Water Tribe warrior grumbled before giving his nephew a proud smirk. "An Airbender, though! Way to go, champ. Maybe you'll become a master, just like him."

"You think so?" Tenzin squeaked, his eyes twinkling.

"Heck yeah," Sokka laughed. "I see a lot of him in you. You must think it's pretty cool, having the Avatar for your dad."

The youngster blinked in thought, idly swinging his feet off the seat. "Well, I never really thought about it. He's just my daddy. He plays with me and reads me stories at night and takes me flying." He grinned. "But it's also cool hearing about how he saved the world. I like to hear about _all_ of you."

"Aww!" the warrior gushed. "Even me?"

"_Everyone_ likes to hear about you, Daddy," Kimiye piped up next to her cousin. "You're the funny one!"

Sokka chuckled proudly. "Well, I did keep the group together in laughter plenty of times."

As her husband boasted, Suki leaned down to whisper to the kids. "The jokes weren't _that_ funny."

"Hey!" Sokka exclaimed, causing his wife and the children to break out into laughter.

Mai chuckled and rolled her eyes, holding her rambunctious children closer. "Well, at least you were probably good for target practice."

He glowered back. "Oh, _everybody_ likes to tease the non-bender. You get on the receiving end of an air blast a _few_ times…"

"Try about fifty," Suki grinned.

"Fifty-six, to be precise," Mai hummed.

As another attack from Aang sent Toph careening on her back and the backlash was sent after Zuko, the others turned their attention back to the fight. The twins fidgeted on Mai's lap. "Oooh, that had to hurt," Ursa muttered.

"Break his root, Dad, break his root!" the little prince chanted.

"Didn't you hear Tenzin, Kazu?" Kimiye scolded, her hands balling to fists on her hips. "Your dad's _defending._"

The younger boy swiveled his head toward her, his wide golden eyes glittering. "Yeah, but when this round's over, it'll be a _fight!_ He'll win for sure."

"C'mon, Master Toph's doing good too!" the girl pointed out. "And so's Aunt Katara! I bet it's either one of _them_ that trip him up."

Tenzin's head whirled to his friends in surprise. "You guys, stop that; my dad's the _Avatar._ What makes you think he's gonna _lose?_"

"Because _our_ dad was his teacher, _and_ he's the best Firebender," Kazu grinned.

Mai laughed, catching the attention of her kids. "Well, technically, your great-uncle Iroh is the best Firebender. But, your father's not bad either."

"Iroh could beat Aang," Sokka mused. "Zuko, on a one-on-one Firebending duel…huh, I dunno."

_"None_ of them could beat my dad one-on-one," Tenzin stubbornly stated.

"We still bet our dad could beat up your dad," Kazu challenged, with Ursa sticking her tongue out beside him.

"And _I_ bet he'll beat 'em all!" the young Airbender shot back.

Mai snorted with amusement. "Aren't you four just a _little_ too young to be betting?"

They all regarded her with confusion. "I dunno, are we?" Kimiye finally spoke, turning to regard her friends, who all shrugged in response.

"Oh, let 'em have their fun, Mai," Sokka chuckled. "I bet on plenty of things when I was a kid."

"Yeah?" Suki grinned, her face resting on her palm as she watched her husband. "What on?"

"Well…mostly contests with Katara," he said, dropping his voice to a mutter as his eyes darted around. "That…I lost…I mean, she never _did_ give me back my stuffed turtle-seal toy…but still!" he exclaimed as he propped himself up again. "Let the kids have fun."

It was then, with a grand flourish of his prowess in creating a rock shield against his friends' attacks, a flustered group of fighters finally moved on to the last round. "All-or-nothing, Aang!" Katara was heard commanding. "Give us everything you've got!"

So finally, the small family of spectators fell silent as they watched the final battle. Aang, sweat-soaked and scratched up but hardly out of breath, leaped and darted past every attack that was thrown from every side as he conjured his own retaliation in wave after wave of relentless bending.

A massive wall of water from Katara was frozen by a gesture of his hands and melted in the same fluid instant, rushing outward in a torrential whiplash reminiscent of his very first Waterbending move in the throes of the Avatar State. The water slammed into an unprepared Zuko, but was parried by an earthen column conjured from Toph. Aang barely had time to trap his Firebending master in earthen cuffs before the column came hurtling toward him. He reached out, his fists colliding with the sculpted rock to shatter it to pieces.

The fight continued on in a similar manner…attacks were evaded or sent back against his challengers, and he was as always hard to pin down. The swift Avatar knew his way around every element and had virtually mastered taking on three of them at once…he did get battered a little more when he took an eventual misstep, as would happen when he had to forego Airbending altogether; but it only made him all the more aware of it the next time around.

Finally, he saw an end to the battle in sight. His teachers were growing weary and the timing of their attacks fewer between…but he was wearier, and knew that he had to end it then and there.

Another tremor of earth rocked him off his feet. In retaliation, he leaped and sent another strong shockwave through the stadium…enough to even be felt by the bewildered spectators high on the seats. As a result, his teachers all rocked back and forth on their legs.

Aang took swift advantage of their momentary weaknesses and concentrated on his defensive postures. With a movement of the Avatar's feet, Zuko's limbs were the first to be trapped in rising cuffs of rock. Toph and Katara sent simultaneous attacks toward him, a spear of ice and a spear of earth…both of which he grabbed out of midair. With a loud growl and a quick turn of his body, he whiplashed the two separate elements outward and propelled them at the hands of his remaining teachers.

Katara yelped and fell back, her wrists encased in solid rock. In the same instance, Toph grunted as she was caught with cuffs of ice and thrown off her feet.

With all three of his attackers incapacitated, the training was over.

Silence gripped the stadium as the dust settled. Aang let out several heavy breaths before standing and expertly performing the finishing gesture…palms pushed downward, a long exhale taken.

And then, he broke his serious façade and excitedly pumped his fist in the air. His voice echoed triumphantly through the chamber. "Wooo! Score three for the Avatar!"

The spectators let out loud cheers and applause, more for the magnificent demonstration of bending from all involved rather than anyone winning or losing. But at the sight, Tenzin looked smug. _I win the bet._

_

* * *

_

It was a few moments later as the fighters started to collect themselves again, when the entirety of the group reconvened. Aang helped his friends out of their restraints, and they gave him their heartfelt congratulations…for in their elements, he had shown enough considerable skill to be considered for the level of Master to them all.

"Daddy!" Tenzin cried excitedly as he jumped into his father's arms. "You were _amazing!_ They were all like, 'get him!'…and then _you_ were all like, 'boom, victory!'"

Aang laughed heartily, hugging the squirming child. "Yeah, I did it, didn't I?"

"Aang, man, once again you showed us that you kick _serious _butt," Sokka grinned, punching him affectionately in the shoulder.

Zuko chuckled as he brushed himself off and picked his jumpy young twins up. "Yeah...that was pretty fun. Just like the old days."

"But you didn't _win,_ Dad!" Kazu snorted and crossed his arms.

"You always won in the old days," Ursa groused next to her brother.

Katara blinked and barked a loud laugh, turning her attention to the royal heirs. "Now who told you _that?_ We _always_ whipped Zuko's butt."

"Yeah, but the jerk deserved it," Mai snickered, and the group joined in the mirthful laughter. Zuko blushed indignantly, but tried not to show it in the wake of the excitement going on around him.

Toph added her own congratulations with a punch on Aang's upper arm. "Just keep up your training, Twinkletoes. No student of _mine_ slacks off on their Earthbending."

"I promise," Aang laughed as he set Tenzin down so that he could join the other children. He watched the four of them rush off in another of their impromptu games of tag and grinned proudly, ever amazed at how far his ragtag friends had come together. His child and niece, best friends with the heirs to the Fire Nation throne.

As the group of heroes filed out of the stadium, Aang grimaced toward Katara and wiped off some of the caked mud and earth off of his pants. "Ugh…I need a bath. _And_ a long nap."

"You and me both," the Waterbender laughed, looking back to her husband with love in her eyes. It always struck Aang as intriguing, how she could so easily turn from a bold fighter to a loving caretaker in an instant. "I'm so proud of you, Aang. I remember back when you were pacing back and forth, worrying about not learning your Waterbending. And now here you are, a complete Avatar."

The Airbender blushed. "Well…I wouldn't have done it without you and the others. You're all still the source of my courage, I think." He gave her a soft grin. "And I have to always depend on your healing sessions to fix me up again after a beating like that."

Katara snickered and lightly shoved his shoulder. "Maybe if you ask nicely, O great Avatar."

Aang blinked. "What, and beg? No way, I just beat you in a fight. I feel empowered."

"Then you won't get your healing session," Katara airily remarked.

His eyes narrowed playfully at his wife. "Don't be so cruel, Katara. You're going to rouse my wrath again."

At his mock threat, the Waterbender simply snorted another loud laugh and intertwined her fingers with his, their expressions softening. "Bring it on, then," she winked.

Ahead of them, their friends shook their heads as they overheard their banter. "I wouldn't tell Aang this," Sokka whispered to the group, "But as powerful as he is, Katara's probably always got him beat."

"He might be proud of that fact, actually," Zuko stated. "But then again, _I'd_ be crazy if I wasn't just a little afraid of Mai."

"Darn straight," the Fire Lady deadpanned as she picked her fingernail with the pointed side of one of her shuriken.

"What about _you,_ tough guy?" Suki smirked toward Sokka. "Still afraid of me?"

"Weeelll," the Water Tribe warrior grinned as his arm snuck around her waist, "I'll just say that I'm pretty lucky to have a wife who knows how to knock me down a peg."

"And she does that _how_ often, Sokka?" Aang snickered, having walked close enough to the group to overhear them.

The man in question nonchalantly glanced up to the ceiling. "Oh, once a week, tops."

"Oh, right!" Suki barked a laugh as she whipped behind him, taking his arm in a tight grip and bending it around his back.

"AUGH, I give, I _give!"_ he shrieked, only to double over in laughter as she let him go.

Katara shook her head in amusement, watching the members of their unconventional family converse. As she caught a glimpse of the children rushing amongst each other and mimicking their own fighting stances, she had to wonder just what kind of warriors and heroes they'll make someday when their parents are no longer connected to the world.


	14. Lessons

((AN: I love writing Aang as a dad; I imagine he'd be the best, as well as a very patient teacher. Regarding one part, I confess that I don't pretend to know everything about the process of meditation, but I think I get the general idea.

I want to thank you all again for your wonderful reviews, faves, and all that. It means a lot to hear from people. ^^ I'm currently dividing my other long and ongoing Avatar fanfic into chapters, so you all may see that for something to read here as well. :3

These guys belong to Mike and Bryan. Worship their awesomeness.))

* * *

"You should widen your stance a little more, Tenzin. When it comes to Airbending, proper footwork is important."

Aang watched the boy comply with a wordless nod as he continued his circle around the training pole, his feet pivoting a little more into the correct angle with each step. The Avatar gave a proud smile at his progress; if there was anything he loved out of his life as much as his wife, it was his son, and the opportunity he had to teach him the lost disciplines of his heritage.

At age six, Tenzin was growing swiftly and learning just as much. He always tackled his early-morning exercises with enthusiasm, especially so to be able to spend the time he could with his dad. That warm morning in the courtyard was no exception; Aang took in the scene before him as he sat on the wall and watched the boy go through his drills. With lemurs chasing each other around the dew-soaked trees and Appa keeping an eye on things while munching on hay, for a moment he felt like he went back in time again to when the Temple was full of children his age. But there were only two Airbenders in the world for now, and it felt to him that his son helped to breathe a sense of life and purpose back to their once-destroyed home.

After a few moments passed, Aang pushed himself off the ledge and strode towards the boy, who had finished the drills and awaited the next lesson. "Very good," the older monk smiled. "You're improving."

"Thank you," Tenzin said with a quick bow and a bright smile. "What's next, Daddy?"

"Now, I want to see just what kind of control you have," Aang stated, and then gave him an amused grin. "Your mother tells me you've been trying your hand at air blasts."

At that, Tenzin sheepishly averted his eyes. "Yeah, um…I guess she told you about my room?"

"That it looks like a tornado went through it?" Aang laughed. "Yeah." He reassuringly laid a hand on his head. "But don't worry, son; Airbending takes a little practice. It's easy for a novice to lose control; so it's best to do it outside." He stepped back and gave him a quick nod. "Now, show me what you can do."

At that, Tenzin took a quick breath and assumed a stance that he'd seen his father doing often. With a whirl of his body and a thrust of his hand, he indeed managed to conjure a fierce air blast…but also managed to cause himself to lose his footing and fall backward, propelled a few feet away by his own wind. "Oof!"

Aang rushed to his son's side and knelt down, chuckling. "Are you okay?"

The young Airbender nodded with a frustrated grunt as he sat up again. "Yeah. But I keep falling over when I do that. I wonder if I'll _ever_ get it right."

"You will," Aang said with a soft laugh as he helped him up again. "I was your age and had to learn once. It gets better with enough time and work."

"How _much_ time and work?" Tenzin pouted. "I really wanna be able to do everything you do."

"I know," the Avatar admonished softly as he ruffled his son's hair. "But you don't learn everything just that quickly. Don't get frustrated, okay?"

"Mmkay," the child replied in a small, downcast voice.

Aang gave him a warm smile. "And besides, Airbending takes careful precision; before you can learn any advanced feats, you have to learn how to exercise control." He reached up into his shawl. "I have something for you."

Tenzin blinked his wide gray eyes up to his father. "What is it?"

Smiling, Aang pulled his closed hand out and uncurled his fingers to reveal a few small black marbles. Questioningly, Tenzin tilted his head.

"These marbles are toys for Airbending," Aang explained and pulled back, clasping his other hand over them. "Watch this."

With but a quick motion as he separated his palms, the small orbs were suddenly rotating in a blurry circle in midair between them.

"Wow!" his son exclaimed and clapped. "That's neat!"

Giving him a grin, his father halted the movement of the marbles as they settled into his hands again. "Yeah, I've kept these since I was little. Even tried to impress your mom with them once," he laughed, and then took his son's hand to place the marbles there. "And now they're yours."

"Really?" Tenzin breathed, rolling the little trinkets around in his fingers. "You're giving them to me?"

"Of course," Aang smiled. "You'll need them more than I do. Not only are they fun, but they're good practice for control of the air. If you learn to manipulate small objects like this, it'll soon become much easier to make the wind as powerful or as weak as you need it to be. It'll definitely come in handy when you learn to fly a glider."

"Oh, I can't _wait _to do that!" the small Airbender grinned as he inspected the marbles again. "So how do these work?"

"All you have to do is try to move them around in different ways without touching them," Aang informed, sitting back. "Pick them up, make them float; and just use tiny gusts of wind. Go ahead, try it."

"Okay…" Tenzin cautiously acquiesced, sitting back as well with the tiny inanimate trinkets cradled carefully. With a quick breath, he let his other hand hover over them and felt the wind under his tiny fingers. With a few circular movements, he managed to make the toys roll as if on their own volition.

Encouraged, he tried to will the air to move faster and faster. But just as he tried to imitate his father's trick, he lost control once more and ended up with one of the marbles shooting up to hit him in the forehead. "OW!" he whimpered.

"Tenzin…" Aang began, reaching out to comfort his son.

Frustrated, the child tossed the marbles to the ground and rubbed his head. "I can't even do that trick!" He blinked a few small tears. "Why can't I get it?"

"Aw, son…" Aang sighed as he pulled Tenzin onto his lap and ran his fingers over the red spot on his brow. "Remember what I said. It takes patience. I know you'll get it eventually."

He sniffed and buried his head in his father's wrist. "What if I don't?"

"You _will,_" the older monk insisted. "Everyone goes through their rough spots. Your mother reacted the same way you did when she started to learn Waterbending. And I had plenty of them when I trained in the other elements."

"Yeah, the _other_ elements," Tenzin sighed. "But I only know Airbending…and you _mastered_ Airbending."

"That doesn't mean that I didn't have to work hard at it every day," Aang informed as he tilted his son's chin up to look at him. "You cannot allow yourself to get disappointed and frustrated. Otherwise you will only keep making mistakes and hate yourself for it. If you keep working, it'll only make you all the happier when you succeed."

Abashed, Tenzin's eyes only closed in reply.

Humming thoughtfully, Aang picked the marbles off of the cobblestones and handed them to his son. "I want you to keep these, and keep practicing. This time you'll know to be gentler at first, so you don't keep getting whacked in the head, like your dear old dad always did," he let out a soft-hearted chuckle.

Tenzin reacted with a small smile and looked once more at the marbles before placing them in his pocket. Satisfied, Aang stood up and picked his son up to seat him on his shoulders. "C'mon, little guy. I wanna show you something."

Curious, Tenzin kept a hold on his father's neck as he was carried out of the courtyard and up the main pathway to the Southern Air Temple. He felt his frustration melting away in the tranquil calm surrounding their mountaintop abode, to be replaced with curiosity as to where he was being taken.

* * *

The two stopped as soon as they reached one of the entrances to the temple's interior. Sitting like a steadfast sentry at the door was the meditating statue of a familiar monk, polished and looking as if newly-carved. His sagely visage seemed to regard his former student and son with everlasting patience, exactly as Aang always remembered him.

"Who's that?" Tenzin inquired as he was gently lowered to the ground again.

Aang's gaze focused on the statue, and his voice was soft and tinged with sadness. "That's Monk Gyatso. He was _my_ teacher, long ago. He was a very wise master, and one of the greatest Airbenders. I wouldn't be where I am today without his guidance. Whenever I started to lose faith in myself, it was he who would pick me up again and tell me exactly what I've been telling you."

Tenzin followed his father's eyes to the statue and suddenly felt small. He could never place why, but he always felt a weight of importance when told about his father's old world and the teachings of the past. Though he knew instinctively that this Gyatso had to be someone loving and kind, the child felt unworthy to be looking into the eyes of a master long-revered.

As if reading his thoughts, Aang lightly squeezed his son's hand. "I see a lot of myself in you, Tenzin," he said after a long bout of reverent silence. "When I was young, I was impulsive and pretty rash. I was often too eager to learn not only when I started Airbending, but the other elements as well. I wanted to learn so much, so fast, and I only managed to hurt myself by doing so. Sometimes…I even hurt others." He took a deep breath. "But my mistakes taught me what I needed to know in order to better myself and eventually conquer my challenges."

He turned to meet Tenzin's bright eyes with a reassuring smile. "You have a proud heritage in you, son. Our people were _all_ Airbenders, and very spiritual and connected together. All of them had to learn, and many even had to struggle…but our element is about freedom, and to truly understand it, you have to free yourself from your troubles. If you can do that, and work hard, then I _know_ you'll someday be a Master worthy of the Air Nomads."

Tenzin smiled at the thought and gripped his dad's hand tighter, leaning against his leg as he looked up at the statue again. "…Mama says…that you and me are the only Airbenders in the whole wide world," he observed.

"She's right," Aang nodded slowly. "Our people…" he paused with his breath held; he couldn't yet speak to this young, innocent boy about the devastation that the war had caused. "…They disappeared, a long time ago," he finally breathed out. "Only we can keep the practice of Airbending alive now."

Tenzin hung his head in thought. "Then…I really hope I can get it someday."

Aang smiled and leaned down to pick him up again. "You shouldn't worry so much. You're only six, and you have your whole life ahead of you to master Airbending. And I'm here to help…but I promise I won't make you train more or harder than you need to yourself. I want you to enjoy learning."

"I really do; it's fun being an Airbender," Tenzin grinned as he hugged his father. "I just don't like getting it wrong. Maybe I'm not patient enough," he shrugged.

Looking between his son and the statue once more, Aang turned and started out of the courtyard. "Well, I think I know a way to help with that too," he chuckled. "Why don't you join me in meditation today?"

"Really?" Tenzin tilted his head. "Okay…but how'll that help? It looks kinda like sitting around, to me."

"Trust me," was all Aang answered as they walked along the path to another part of the temple.

* * *

A few minutes later, they had found the destination that the Avatar was looking for; a small spot of grass under a shady tree on the sunny side of the mountain. The east wall overlooked the area, and a calming breeze shifted the leaves of the vegetation as the two Airbenders settled themselves into the shade. As well as his father could, Tenzin felt the soothing spiritual energies with each whistle of the wind along the Temple boundary.

"Alright," Aang began as he settled into his lotus position. "Close your eyes and do what I do. Don't talk…just breathe, and focus."

Curious, Tenzin complied and held his fingers over his knees the same way that Aang had done. He took a deep breath and let it out, trying to figure out what he was doing.

"Good…concentrate on breathing first," Aang's soft and patient voice instructed beside him, level and almost lulling. "Through the nose. In and out…deep and slow."

Tenzin complied, but found it a little hard to concentrate on sitting still. He opened one eye to glance around, but found Aang waving a finger in his line of sight and warning him to keep it closed. So breathe he did, carefully and controlled, until it was all he could focus on. _I can at least get this right,_ he thought.

"Clear your mind…and just focus on the air," Aang continued in a whisper, unmoving. "All living things need the air to breathe…air is life, and freedom, and spirit. To understand our element, you have to immerse yourself. You bend it to your will when you breathe, and you let it within you. Feel it. Hear it. Do not force it. Move with it. The air is not patient…so to control it, _you_ must be."

With each word echoing through his mind, Tenzin allowed himself to focus only on the air and what it brought to him. Each inhalation brought cool air to his lungs, and the scent of vegetation and earth trickled into his senses. Each exhalation loosened him and let his apprehensions float away so he that he was ever the more attentive to the element each time.

"Now…" Aang spoke again after a few moments, "Listen all around you to what the air does. Get a feel for how it moves. Understand it. Respect it."

Tenzin took another breath and opened his sense of hearing to the world, eyes still closed. He could feel the breeze trickling over their spot on the mountain and rustling his hair and clothes. It whistled in his ear and flowed unhindered through the leaves above their heads. And he even felt, to his slight surprise, how the wind halted and left the air stifled and still…like it was thinking of which direction to go next. And sure enough, he heard the very top of the tree rustling, yet felt no wind. He surmised that it was blowing from behind the temple wall and downward again.

"Air is stubborn, but thoughtful," Aang continued, as if feeling his son's observational thoughts. "It rushes and it doesn't stop, but tries to flow around every obstacle and finds a way to go where it wishes. Few things stop it from going. Its nature is to fly. It is free, and so are we. Search yourself, and know this fact."

Through the silence that followed, Tenzin kept his thoughts on nothing but the wind. In the small idiosyncrasies of the world outside of his blackened vision, he could even pick up minute changes in sound and feeling. He heard his own father's breathing, heavier and more controlled. Throughout the contemplative moments of inner searching, the child found his peace with the impatience of the air and knew what he had to accomplish to balance his patience to match it.

"And, one last deep breath," Aang directed once the meditation had drawn to a close. As the Airbenders opened their eyes again, the Avatar sent a warm grin to his son. "How do you feel now?"

Tenzin blinked a few times, fascinated. His own energy, almost downright unending at times, had trickled to manageable levels. "Much better," he confirmed with a grin right back.

Aang nodded. "Thought so. Meditation was an important part of the Air Nomads' discipline. It allowed us to be in touch with our spirituality and to better understand our element. It also keeps you calm and your mind free of distraction."

"That's pretty cool," Tenzin giggled. "Now I know why you do that a lot."

"Yep," his father chuckled, before regarding him with seriousness again. "I would like you to make meditation a habit as well, Tenzin. At least once a day, whenever you wish to, or whenever you want to clear your mind for some reason or another. I believe it will help you find your patience in your training and to better center yourself."

The child nodded. "Okay, Daddy…I'll try. Can I meditate with you again tomorrow?"

"I don't see why not," Aang smiled as he stood and stretched, with Tenzin following suit. "Anyway, I believe that's it for this morning. What do you say we go see what we can dig up for lunch?"

At the mention of food, a loud growl erupted from Tenzin's stomach. He blushed and put on a sheepish, toothy grin that very much mirrored his father's. "Yeah, I'm starving!"

"I believe your gut said that better than you," Aang snorted as he attacked his son's ticklish ribs and made him bleat loudly with mirthful laughter. In retaliation, Tenzin pounced him and had them playfully rolling in the grass.

After a moment to regain their composure, Aang took his hand and led him back up the stairway to the main path to the Temple.

Tenzin hummed as they made their way to the towers marking the living quarters, looking at the blue mark that creased the back of the hand he held. "Daddy?"

"Hm?"

"When I become a Master, will I get arrows too?"

The older Airbender smiled. "Yep...at least I'd like for you to. It was a tradition to give arrows to Airbenders when they reached the 36th level and invented a new move, like I did with the Air Scooter. That's how you know you're a Master."

"Neat," Tenzin giggled as he curiously touched the line of blue on Aang's wrist. "Um, do I also have to shave my head?"

Aang laughed. "That, I'll leave up to you. I know your mother's fond of your hair and you might be too. The monks though, they shaved their heads as part of the need to rid themselves of physical worries such as vanity. Plus, it made it easier to fly without it going all over your face."

"Ohh," Tenzin laughed and self-consciously plucked at his brown-black strands. "I'll think about that one."

As they approached the temple, the smell of food could instantly be picked up, and this time, both of their stomachs growled. "You think if I ask, Mama might make her stewed sea prunes?" Tenzin inquired with a wide grin.

Aang barked a laugh. "Ugh! You actually _like_ that stuff?"

"Yeah!" he exclaimed. "They're all chewy and mushy and make your tongue tingle. What, don't _you?_"

His father stuck out his tongue. "Well, let me just say I never did get used to some Water Tribe dishes."

"Heh, I like all dishes," Tenzin smiled. "I just hope it's not papayas again."

At that, Aang let out another laugh and rolled his eyes. _I see myself in our son, Katara, but that's sneaky of you to give him your impatience AND your taste buds._


	15. Reaffirming

((AN: Just because I wanted to...and because I'd finished watching the episode "The Guru" and found myself all teary at Aang's dedication to Katara...this chapter is another one full of beautiful Kataangy fluff. x3 With only a tiny bit of angst. Like any married couple, Aang and Katara would have fights from time to time...but considering their circumstances, I doubt there's anything that could ever keep them apart for long. But sometimes it takes reassuring a scared child of something to assure it of yourself.

In other news, I must warn that I might not be up to updating chapters so soon for a little while...I'm focusing on learning how to drive. Yah, I'm 24 and I can't drive yet. Sad, huh? :B Also, for anyone who likes to notice little details, I went through each of the chapters and corrected any errors in grammar, wording, or sentence structure that really bugged me. So maybe a few words were replaced or sentences were made better, nothing too big. But if anyone spots an error or something just doesn't sound right, don't hesitate to tell me! I sometimes fail to notice these things as I write. ^^;

Enjoy the floofy romance that we all love so much ^^ Or at least I do. x3 And these characters as always belong to the faaaaabulous Mike and Bryan.))

* * *

Aang didn't think that it could get any quieter that night, as he stood outside in the cool air and leaned his arms on the front banister of their home in Ba Sing Se's upper ring. The capital city of the Earth Kingdom had always seemed lively at any time of the day; countless times when he could find the time to in his visits he'd wander along the middle and lower rings at night to see how differently the divided portions of the city fared.

And he knew this much: compared to the bright, rambunctious, noisy living in the alleys of the slums of the lower ring, he much preferred the quiet solemnity and tranquility where he and his family always stayed. The people here, though less fun and stuffier in their attitude towards the peasantry in the rest of the city, at the very least knew to _sleep_ when darkness fell.

It was a beautiful night for silence, at that. It was autumn and the wind had a biting chill to it in the somber shadows all around that weren't lit with softly-glowing lanterns. But despite the cold, it was the kind of night that drew one outside to stare upward to the heavens and contemplate their places in the world. Not a cloud obscured the sky, and the myriad of stars above shone bright and proud against a stark void of very dark blue. The moon itself was full and luminous, igniting the blood of anyone sensitive to it. Very few insects chirped, and very far away sometimes a nocturnal bird would screech. Nature itself gave its humble forms of life reassurance and calm feelings; a blanket of protection in the form of lingering peace and hope.

It would have been a very perfect night, the Avatar knew…if only he wasn't standing _alone_ on that balcony, with his stomach twisting in knots and his heart burning in memory of the heated words exchanged between himself and his wife earlier that evening.

He drew in a shaky breath to calm himself and closed his eyes, resting his forehead into his palm in shame. Sure, he and Katara had gotten into arguments before; every couple did. He also knew that it wouldn't last long at all before they dropped their pride and came seeking each other out again, crying out their heartfelt apologies and holding each other close for comfort and solace once more…soul mates searching out the simple need to just be together.

But it didn't mean that, on the seldom occasions that they happened, it wouldn't ease the pain that came as a result of emotionally flinging each other away. Even after a marriage and a child, they still loved each other to the point of hurt. As Aang stood on that porch, he willed for the spirits of nature to lend him the comfort of the night. His heart still smoldered like fire in his chest...his eyes itched and burned from unshed tears.

It wasn't an uncommon argument, either, when his Avatar duties came into play.

He had been called to the capital a few days prior to help the king with some issues regarding dissent in the citizens and their concerns of how their government was being run without the Dai Li...something minor, he'd expected, and thus it seemed like a good idea for his family to go with him to pay visits to Iroh and other friends who lived there.

Suddenly the "minor problems" had turned into a few major ones, as reportedly, rebels from the Fire Nation were somehow infiltrating the walled city and sending people into a panic with lootings, kidnappings, and threats of burning homes…needless to say, what he'd promised was a small vacation had turned into about a month's stay while he kept going out to help the guardsmen keep the peace until some backup arrived.

As a result, Katara had been frustrated and worried at his long times away with little notice, and he was vehement on not allowing her to interfere for her safety and that of Tenzin. All the pent-up anger finally came to a head as they let it out toward each other in harsh, half-yelled whispers (the details of which were slowly becoming fuzzy) after they'd made sure the child was asleep. The tension between them in the moments before the argument was so heavy that even their inquisitive five-year-old boy had felt it. The result had left them tired, ragged, and wishing to be alone.

And alone he stood, for who knew how long it had been since. How long the night had gone for, he didn't know, and didn't bother to guess. Another cold breeze flew across the porch, and the Airbender shivered, opening his eyes to stare into the dark and bejeweled heavens. _What I wouldn't give right now to crawl in bed with her and be warm, and just forget it all, _he longingly mused.

A few more heavy minutes passed in the blanketing solemnity as Aang sorted out his feelings and found the ways that he knew he'd wronged her. Then, he steeled his resolve and prepared his list of apologies in his head. He could scarcely stand being away from Katara, and no matter how angry she might have still been, he would face it. When it came to the one he loved, it wasn't in him at all to run in shame for long.

The nomad let out a long, shaky sigh. But just as he was thinking of turning back into the house, he heard a very small voice chirp from the dark doorway. "…Daddy?"

He turned his head, surprised, and let his gaze fall upon the diminutive form of his son. Tenzin had his shiny gray eyes widened to watch his father, and he clutched his blanket closer around himself with a small shiver in his body.

"Tenzin…" Aang blinked and stepped towards him, kneeling down to take the boy in his arms, blanket and all. "What are you doing out here? It's late, and it's cold."

"Couldn't sleep," the young Airbender murmured as he leaned comfortably in his father's embrace. His voice had taken on something of a soft and timid tone, which surprised Aang somewhat. "Went looking for you and Mama, and found the door open."

"Aw…" Aang smiled as he held him close. Without fail, his troubles were always forgotten the minute he held his precious son, the result of his unbreakable bond with Katara. He cradled him and turned back to the banister, holding him up so that he could see the stars as well while they talked. "Why couldn't you sleep? Did you have a nightmare?"

"Nuh-uh," Tenzin's head shook as he clutched Aang's shawl. "I'm kinda…" he hesitated, as if it was something he didn't wish to admit to his father. "Kinda scared. I heard you and Mama fighting."

"…Oh…" Aang sighed, glancing away slightly. One of the things he'd hoped to never expose to his son was any kind of discord between his parents. But sometimes, things were inescapable.

Tenzin's gaze caught his again, and the Avatar couldn't help but notice how intense and serious he could look, even at his young age. "Does Mama hate you?" he inquired in a very quiet, tentative voice.

"What?" Aang laughed quickly, taken aback by the question. "No, no, of course not! She doesn't hate me. We'd never hate each other. Whatever gave you that idea?"

The child bit his lip, eyelids quivering. "I was playing with some kids in the park yesterday with Mama, and one of them was all upset, and kept saying how his mom and dad are always yelling and saying how they hate each other and wanna split up. Then I heard you guys whispering real loud and fighting, and I got scared that…you might too, and our family will be all broke up."

Aang took on a crestfallen look, and he held his son tightly to him in reassurance. "Tenzin…my little guy…" he sighed. "You listen to me, and you listen well. I love your mother, and you, more than anything in this world…and she loves me. We will never even _consider_ splitting up, because if we did, I'm certain we'd both regret it with our lives. I can't live at all without her, and…even _that's_ an understatement," he laughed softly, feeling his heart burning again. "So you have nothing to worry about."

"Okay…" Tenzin cautiously admonished. "But…the fighting…"

He was silenced by Aang gingerly rubbing the back of his head. "It was only a little argument, that's all. We were both kinda stressed out because of all the Avatar stuff I have to do away from the two of you for a bit here in the city. It'll stop," he smiled with certainty.

"I hope so…" Tenzin squeaked, turning his eyes briefly to the stars. "I don't like you being away either. Mama probably hates it more than me."

Aang held him close, tenderly cradling the boy as he thought of what exactly to tell him to help him put his mind at ease. "There's an old saying: 'you always hurt the one you love'. All couples have little squabbles from time to time. Your uncle, Sokka, and Suki…they fight too, and for certain, so do your godparents, Zuko and Mai. People will get on each other's nerves from time to time, it's only natural…but that doesn't mean that they don't still love each other with all their hearts. And no matter how long I'm away, my son, you and your mother are both in my mind and heart and will stay there."

Lightened a little by the thought, Tenzin had a small smile. "You think so?"

"I know so," Aang confirmed with a nod. "I promise. You will _never_ have to worry about that."

His fears abated, the child buried himself comfortably in the older Airbender's arms and released a long yawn.

Chuckling, Aang turned back into the house. "C'mon, Tenzin…it's late. Time to get you out of the cold and back to your bed."

"Not tired," Tenzin protested in a sleepy mumble against the wall of fabric upon which he lay.

Aang let out another quiet laugh as he closed the door and wandered through the darkened living quarters, down into the short hallway that housed the bedrooms. "Sorry, little guy, but you have to be a little more convincing than that. You're going to sleep. Orders from the Avatar."

Tenzin muffled another unintelligible protest before caving in with another yawn and slumping in his father's arms. With a gentle smile on his face, Aang reached the spare sleeping quarters and carefully deposited the sleepy boy in the sheets.

As he was tucked in, he half-opened his eyes again to regard his beloved parent. "You sure you n' Mama are gonna be okay?" he slurred.

At that, Aang breathed a short chuckle and planted a kiss on his forehead. Despite the uncertainty still swirling in his heart, he answered truthfully. "Of course I'm sure. Good night, Tenzin…may the spirits bless your dreams."

"G'night…" the child murmured, his eyes fluttering shut once more.

Carefully standing up from the bed, the Airbender contentedly stood watching him drift off to sleep for a few more moments. But eventually, he picked himself out of the peaceful mood, knowing still that he had something to take care of.

But just as the thought came to him, he heard a very light sound, like a brush against wood. His heart seemed to come to a stop for a second as he recognized the presence that he knew had been there the whole time witnessing the exchange.

He turned slowly, locking eyes with Katara as she leaned on the doorframe. But to the eventual calm of his beating heart, she also had a peaceful smile on her features, observing the scene of her husband tucking his son back into bed.

"Hey," she whispered in greeting, lowering her head…he knew that she was feeling the same as he was at that moment…peaceful, but unresolved and conflicted.

"Hey," Aang greeted back, letting a smile cross his own face nonetheless as the Waterbender slipped into the room and to their son's bedside.

She stood beside him for a moment or two, also taken in by watching an innocent and life-filled child sleep, before reaching her hand down and lovingly brushing hair away from his brow. She leaned forward to give the boy a kiss of her own. "Sleep well, my little Airbender."

After that, she turned to her husband and craned her head to the door as a wordless signal for them to leave their child in peace and bliss. Only one more glance was spared as they stepped out and quietly latched the door shut behind them.

"You're so natural with him," Katara marveled in a low whisper once they started walking into the hallway. "Did someone give you lessons in fathering before?"

"Heh," he chuckled lowly at her joke and blushed, scratching the back of his neck. "Well...some of my past lives became fathers. Maybe something kinda drained in from them. Either way...I just do the best I can."

Katara's reply was another light smile before the two of them lapsed into silence. They walked close, hands brushing before eventually coming together and holding on to the other as they approached the door to their bedroom at the head of the hallway.

Once there though, they stopped, both of their eyes wandering everywhere but each other. Yet, as if their hearts were going on without them, they kept a tight squeeze on each other's hand and relished the warmth in the grip they found there. For a few intense moments, they said nothing. Then…

"Aang, I—"

"Katara—"

They stopped, interrupting each other as they often did. Both of them smiling slowly, they tried again.

"You first—"

"Go ahead—"

But again they started at the same time. They both let out short giggles at the silliness of the situation, and Aang wordlessly gestured for her to go first with an exaggerated gentlemanly bow.

Katara mockingly curtsied back before straightening again, her hands coming up to grip her upper arms. Her expression turned from mirthful to pensive, and she looked away while trying to find her words. Aang patiently waited, his head tilted in concern.

Finally, the Waterbender took a shaky breath. "Aang, I'm _so_ sorry...I…I didn't mean what I said…y'know, about…your duties being more important than me and Tenzin. Oh, just…_everything_ I said. You just…had me so worried, going off and taking care of these things and not…not knowing when you'd be back…I got angry and all messed up, and…"

She was cut off as he suddenly pulled her against him, his arms wrapping her in a tight and fervent embrace. Katara was only stunned for a couple of seconds as she returned it with every bit of strength she had. Together they simply basked in each other's warmth and presence, their hearts beating as one, and with breaths coming out in fast, quivering intervals.

"I'm the one who's sorry," Aang whispered, holding her tight and laying his head against hers so that every breath he took held the scent of her hair. "I didn't realize just how long this trip was and how serious this whole problem would be…I was so stressed and didn't think straight, and I hurt you…"

"Oh, Aang, please…" Katara sniffed and pulled away to look into his eyes. "Don't blame this on yourself. I…I should have known that sometimes your Avatar duties would get unpredictable and out of control. And that sometimes you'd have to leave us to keep us safe. I just wish that it didn't have to be so often. I wish sometimes that we could tell the world to fix their _own_ problems for once."

The Avatar choked out a quiet laugh and lifted his hand to her face, brushing away a few strands from her cheek. "You don't think I wish that, too? I could be happy living forever in peace, as lazy as I wanna be, playing with Tenzin every day and holding you like this every night. But…"

He regretfully sighed and pulled her against him again. They clutched each other like they were all they had in the world, all that they could ever have and were afraid to let go of. "But, the world still needs an Avatar, and I've resigned myself to my duties. I know you wouldn't want me to neglect them either."

"No…" she admitted breathlessly against him. "I wouldn't. That would make me the biggest hypocrite in the world, considering that I always encouraged you to embrace that side of yourself," she smiled in spite of the situation just briefly. "Still though, there are times when I just want to be selfish. Times I just want you to stay and forget it. But, _I_ have to resign myself to the fact that you belong to the world as much as you belong to me."

He smiled gratefully and let a single tear fall, to be lost in the depths of her cascading hair. "Katara…I _do _belong to you. And probably more so than I do to the world. You know it's for _you_ that I go off and keep the peace. For you and for Tenzin. And I do it because _you_ gave _me_ my life back."

With a quiet sniff, he pulled back to look deeply into her wide, moist gaze and leaned his forehead to hers…an action that had them close in body and in mind. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Katara. I would very literally _die._ You keep me going, and encourage me, and for that, I fight to keep you safe without a hint of regret. But if I had to choose between you and my powers as the Avatar…"

"Aang…" the Waterbender whispered, awestruck.

"…I'd choose you," he finished with sincerity. "I have before, you know this…and I'd do it again."

She _did_ know it, too. When he'd revealed to her everything that had gone on with the Guru, Katara had let go of any doubt as to the state of Aang's heart. He loved her with the love of his lost Nation…he refused the Avatar State if the choice was to lose her. This fact never failed to leave her dumbstruck. To think that a single girl from the Water Tribe would come to have this much of an effect on the Avatar…and this lost, young Air Nomad would have such an effect on her. And she had vowed to return that love as much as she could, for he meant more to her than she ever knew.

Overwhelmed, she let the tears flow unhindered into the fabric of his shawl. Through their desperate hold on their other halves, the source of their lives and their happiness, they found the burn in their hearts fading away to be replaced with the cool, fluttering sensation that took them into each other's deepest depths. With Aang, Katara could fly into space and beyond; with Katara, Aang could sink into the enveloping embrace of the deepest ocean trench. Here, they were whole and steady, ready to bear the weight of the world.

After a long, enduring time of just letting them pour their hearts onto one another, Katara pulled away just slightly. The two of them looked upon their respective spouse's flushed, red face and eyes full of such devoted exhaustion.

"I love you so much," Katara breathed.

"I love you forever," Aang responded.

"Nine years of marriage," the Water Tribe woman said with a soft giggle, "And you still have such an effect on me."

The Airbender blushed and gave her a gentle grin. "And you _know_ you still do that to _me_. But I don't mind. Even if it's so distracting sometimes."

At that, Katara gave him a light, playful shove. "Heh, I distract you?"

"You always did," Aang shrugged with a short laugh of his own, taking her hands in his. "Like I said…you're my life. I'd follow you anywhere, Katara, no matter how much you'd try to push me away."

She found herself blushing furiously and squeezing his hands tightly. "I wouldn't push you away, Aang. Not on purpose…and I'm sorry that I almost did that today."

"I already forgave you," the Avatar stated, sincere and solemn in his tone. As he finished, he placed his forehead respectfully to the back of her hands and dropped to his knees, as if he were begging for mercy from a spirit. As reverently as he saw Katara, she might as well have been one to him.

"Will you forgive _me_ for the way I've acted?" he almost whimpered, his head lowered.

Her lip quivering at the sight, Katara dropped down in front of Aang and pulled him into her arms with the loving, warm way that she had always reserved for him. She felt like they were kids again, fighting a war they had no choice but to fight, and doing everything she could to bring him out of his despair.

"I've already done that, too," she murmured quietly. "Long ago."

As Aang's emotions swam with relief and love, he stood and helped his wife back to her feet as well. Meeting her eyes, his hands moved up to her shoulders, and his face lingered close to hers.

She closed the aching distance between their lips and brought her arms up to rest around his neck, refusing to part from him for as long as they could hold their breath. Again their hearts were on fire, but this time the white-hot sensation spread through all ends of their nerves and only had them grasping closer…kissing deeper…wanting more with every enticing hum and moan between them.

When they finally parted from one another with the utmost hesitance, Katara lowered her head and breathed a soft laugh against his collarbone. "I don't think Tenzin will _ever_ have to worry about us splitting up."

At that, Aang let out a loud snicker. "I _knew _I felt you listening in on us." He took a long sigh and ran his hand through her hair, tickling her neck with his fingertips as he spoke against her cheek. "I refuse to even _think_ of splitting up as a possibility. We'll be married, and together, _forever._"

Katara's heart raced at the certainty and strength in his words, and she whole-heartedly agreed while her demure fingertips traced the line of his tattoo up his neck. "Forever…just like we vowed. These nine years…they are only the beginning."

"Agreed…and not just the nine years after the ceremony," Aang said with a warm smile as he looked back to her. "As far as I'm concerned, we were united forever on the very day that you first kissed me."

Blinking in surprise at the notion, she laughed. "The Lovers' Cave?"

"No," Aang's head shook as he leaned in and brushed his lips to hers as he spoke again. "The Jasmine Dragon balcony. Where you returned the kisses I gave you and thus declared yourself to me as I had to you."

"Mmm…" Katara hummed her agreement, remembering the evening and the racing feelings that accompanied it quite vividly as she stole another kiss from him. "We should go there tomorrow."

At that, Aang brightened, only to slump and groan quietly in disappointment. "If the king will let me."

But if the news was expected to grind their passionate moment to a halt, it actually did the opposite. Katara placed her hand under his chin to lift his head again, and she heard a very slightly audible gulp in his throat. He found the look on her face—the bold, demanding, alluring gleam in her deep blue eyes—very familiar all of a sudden.

"Tell you what," she purred, pushing the doors to the bedroom open with one hand and gripping the collar of his shawl with the other, "The world can have you tomorrow if _I_ can have you tonight."

He felt his cheeks igniting and his eyes go wide. But when he found his composure again just a second later, he grinned and narrowed them playfully. "You drive a hard bargain, my wife."

"Ohh, I think you'll find this bargain to your liking, my husband," Katara stated with fake innocence in her expression, making them both laugh. With a tug, he was pulled into the room and the door carefully closed, making sure to muffle any sounds made from there on.

Much further back down the hallway in another room, a sleeping child dreamed his dreams, and subconsciously knew that what his father had told him before was the most honest truth: they were all together…forever…and in the intricately woven webs of fate, _this_ strand would take a lot more than a simple lovers' fight to break.


	16. Tales of Old

((AN: What the heck am I doing up writing at 4 AM...gaaaaah...

Anyway, another one-shot. x3 It's always interesting to have the characters tell their sides of the story, and it's always cute to conjure up what Tenzin might think of some of these extraordinary adventures. Also, after watching "The Puppetmaster" again, it seems to me like Katara would make a pretty excellent storyteller. She already inherited her dad's skill of speech-making...unlike Sokka. x3

I'd say more, but I'm tired, so here's the usual disclaimer: Mike and Bryan's. Not mine. Enjoy! ))

* * *

"And suddenly…we were _surrounded._ The pirates had us cornered in a back alley of the village, weapons gleaming in the sun. At least ten of them faced only the three of us and Momo, and they thought they had us trapped as they laughed and sneered in victory."

The flickering light of the fireplace gave Katara's face an otherworldly, spooky countenance as it countered the shadows of the dark living quarters. As she wove the tale of one of her adventures with the Avatar straight out of the journal held open in one hand, she gestured dramatically with appropriate places of the text with the other. Her audience, comprised of her husband and child, had wide eyes as they attentively hung on her every word.

Five-year-old Tenzin eagerly leaned forward on his father's lap. "Ooh! _Then_ what happened, Mama?"

"Yeah, Mama, _then_ what happened?" Aang quipped with a closed-mouth grin just as wide as his son's.

The Waterbender paused and shot the older monk an incredulous—though amused—look. "Aang, c'mon, you were _there._ You know what happened."

"I know," he shrugged. "But I like the way you tell stories; it's almost as if I'm hearing them for the first time. Plus I got a kick out of calling you 'Mama'," he added with a smirk.

Blushing slightly, Katara rolled her eyes and returned to the journal, trying to find where she'd left off while the two Airbenders before her fidgeted in their seats.

It had been a quiet evening after dinner in the Southern Air Temple; but the small family could always find ways to stay occupied and have their fun together, and the nightly ritual of togetherness was ever-happily looked forward to. The three of them had settled on comfortably-arranged cushions on the floor in front of a warm fireplace, with only the bright orange flames for light in the calm darkness. Having saved the journals she kept throughout her world journeys, it was voted for that night that she and Aang would share some of their exciting adventures with Tenzin.

And judging by the way he kept impatiently bouncing in his seat on his father's knees, the youngster could hardly wait to hear it all. "What happened, what happened? C'mon, how'd you guys get away from the pirates?"

"I'll tell ya how," Aang grinned proudly. "Me."

"You, Daddy?" Tenzin blinked up at him.

"Yep. It's the same every time; the Avatar sweeps in and saves everybody."

"Hey now, who's telling the story?" Katara interrupted with a playful finger-jab on Aang's leg.

He sent her a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

With a light laugh, she finally found her place in the journal as she continued. Her voice went back to the low-pitched one she used for storytelling, which true to Aang's observance had a hypnotic and enveloping effect. It was as if he was reliving that adventure again, and Tenzin imagined himself there easily as well.

"They had us outnumbered. The lead pirate brandished his daggers and stared at us unflinchingly. 'So, who gets to taste the steel of my blade first?' he crowed. There seemed to be no escape.

"But Aang wasn't deterred. 'No thanks,' he answered the scoundrel with brave determination as he swung his staff and used his skillful Airbending to kick a cloud of dust in their eyes. It was then that he opened it into his glider and kicked off over their heads as they were distracted and ordered Sokka and I to grab on. We were frightened, but it was the only way out. We caught up to him and hung on tightly together to the tail end of the glider. The pirates were so close, but we managed to kick a few of them out of the way as we flew higher and higher into the sky, away from them_ and_ the seedy seaside village, back to our camp by the waterfall."

"Wooow!" Tenzin beamed toward his mother as she paused once more. "And that's how you got away from the nasty pirates?"

"Exactly how," Aang chuckled, feeling somewhat humbled by the words Katara had used in the journal to describe their escape and his daring actions.

"Yeah," Katara confirmed with a grin towards her husband. "…And believe me, it was sure convenient to have someone who could fly us out of trouble like that."

Aang proudly sat up straight. "For that, you can _always _count on an Airbender. Gravity's not a problem for us."

"Heh…gravity," Tenzin said with a sudden giggle, which sent his father into a fit of snickers as well.

Katara rolled her eyes at the two of them, bemused. _Either the Air Nomads really DID laugh at gravity, or I just have two special cases._

Once Tenzin stopped laughing, he leaned over and rested on his arms on Aang's leg. His eyes stared inquisitively up toward his mother. "But wait, why did the pirates come after you guys anyway? You said they let you leave the ship."

Aang let out a laugh and ruffled his son's hair. "You're perceptive, little guy. Actually, there _was_ a reason. Remember the Waterbending scroll that she said we were looking at before?"

As Tenzin nodded his assent, Katara rested her face in her palm. _Oh, here it comes…_

"Well," the older Airbender continued with a sly look toward his wife, "When we got back to camp, we found out that your mom stole that scroll from them, and they weren't too happy about it."

Tenzin let out a conspiratorial gasp and whirled on Katara. "Mom! You _stole _it?"

The Waterbender groaned and gave her husband a dry look. "Will I _ever_ be able to live that down?"

"Not a chance," Aang smirked toothily. "You're lucky that Sokka's not here right now to hear the story, or he wouldn't stop gloating."

"Okay, okay," Katara grimaced and held her hands up for emphasis as she explained herself to her dumbstruck son. "First of all, I didn't _steal_ it; I took it _back._ The pirates stole it from a Waterbender at the North Pole first, so it was, um…righteous payback, shall we say."

"Stealing is still wrong," Aang said in a sage manner, with Tenzin nodding in what seemed like solemn agreement.

Katara sweat-dropped and cleared her throat. "_Second_ of all, I did it for a good cause. Your father and I were both learning Waterbending at the time, and it was important for the Avatar to start as soon as possible. That scroll was the perfect way to study some real forms."

Her son hummed. "Okay, I guess that could be true. Still, it's really funny to hear about Mama doing something like stealing from pirates."

She let out a chuckle. "Well, we were all kids at the time, sweetie. People tend to learn better as they grow up." _'Course, I'd have still taken it from them, the thieves,_ she added mentally.

"She's right," Aang spoke up. "Besides, it really _was_ for a good cause. Without that scroll, we wouldn't have been able to learn the most helpful moves for our travels. Like your mother's favorite, the Water Whip."

"That one's cool," Tenzin chirped with a grin.

A small line of pink crossed Katara's cheeks as she gained a look of pride. "See? Some things needed to be done."

Aang leaned close to Tenzin and whispered. "She _did_ kinda try to hog it though."

"I heard that," Katara snorted. "Want me to demonstrate the Water Whip on _you_, smart-aleck?"

"Well, it's true!" Aang whined, though his eyes had a mirthful twinkle. "You snuck out at night and tried to practice Waterbending, and ended up drawing the pirates _and_ Ozai's Fire Nation soldiers right to us."

Tenzin gasped; though the adults were careful not to reveal to their children that Zuko had once been on the wrong side of the war, they didn't hide the fact that the Fire Nation was once corrupted under the former Fire Lord.

"Soldiers too?" he marveled. "Man, you guys were in _trouble._"

"Yeah…we were," Katara grumbled with a sigh. "I admit that at the time I _was_ pretty silly; I wanted so badly to learn Waterbending from the scroll that I'd accidentally put everyone in danger. Not one of my most dignified moments, let me tell you."

Aang's face softened; he always knew how far to take his teasing before Katara would be on the verge of annoyance. The very last thing he wanted to do was to douse her pride; especially in front of their son, who revered them both as parents and heroes.

"We did get out of it in the end though," he admonished with a smile, glancing again down to an attentive Tenzin. "Your mother mastered the Water Whip instantly, and the both of us together used Waterbending to escape in the pirates' own boat on the river. And your Uncle Sokka wasn't being lazy in all of this either; he used his cleverness to get the pirates and the soldiers to fight each other."

Katara laughed, having been slightly brought out of her indignity through the memories of their victory. "Yeah; Sokka was often good for _something._"

"Uncle Sokka's smart," Tenzin agreed with a grin. "But that's also _so_ cool how you guys won and escaped the bad soldiers too."

"We did a lot of things like that over our journey," Katara smiled softly. "Your Uncle Sokka's instincts got us out of a lot of tight spots…and without your dad's mastery of Airbending and the Avatar powers, we wouldn't be anywhere at all."

Aang lifted his head and chuckled. "Katara, don't be humble. You did more for us than you're telling."

"C'mon, Aang…" the Waterbender averted her gaze in uncertainty. "I mostly tried to keep everyone together, apart from fighting with all of you at one time or another."

The Avatar frowned slightly. If there was one thing he was always sad for when it came to his beloved, it was the fact that she always gave her strength to others and sometimes never reserved any for herself; if there was strength left, it only served as a barrier around her own heart…even then, when recalling her part in the whole story and the shame that her mistakes had caused.

"Actually, if I recall," Aang started with a smile, "There were plenty of times that you proved yourself a bigger hero than any of us put together." He turned back to Tenzin. "Her stealing that scroll _was_ for a good cause. And she's done many more things like that…whenever Uncle Sokka and I were helpless, she put herself in danger to make it right, and fought with all her strength for the things she believed in. Ever hear the story of the Painted Lady?"

At the mention, Tenzin's eyes widened with intrigue. Katara, however, felt the heat rise in her cheeks and she gave a nervous chuckle. "Aang, please, not that one…"

The nomad turned his eyes to her pleadingly. "It's one of my favorite stories about you, though. It's amazing, what you did. I want our son to hear it."

Katara felt like refusing, but the words were stuck in her throat. It was true that the Waterbender never felt regret for anything she's ever done in the name of righteousness…but neither did she feel that she had the right to feel proud about them, or deserving of the praise, because of how easily their lives would have been at risk for her foolishness. Still, as she looked between two pairs of pleading storm-gray eyes, she couldn't deny that the story was a cherished one that shouldn't be hidden.

"Alright," she softly admonished. "You can tell it, Aang."

The Airbender grinned and shifted his legs so that both he and his son would be seated comfortably.

"There's a village in the Fire Nation that sits in the middle of a river," he started, hoping that he could paint a picture with a story as well as Katara did. "A very small fishing village that lives off of the things they catch and trade. And it is watched over by a beautiful water spirit known as the Painted Lady…they say she guards the inhabitants and protects them from danger.

"But when we were all traveling the Fire Nation in disguise, it was a very different place. The soldiers had a factory on the river's edge, and they were polluting and poisoning the water, causing the people to be terribly sick. They had very little food and were all starving and unhappy. We didn't like it, but it seemed there was nothing we could do to help. Your Uncle Sokka kept saying that we had a schedule to keep and that it would be best to leave them.

"Your mom wouldn't have any of that; she refused to let an entire defenseless village live in misery…and there was no convincing Sokka to stay, so she did what she had to do alone. At night, when we all slept, she went out into the village and did all she could to help…brought them food, healed their sick, made them stronger…but because she had to hide her identity, she dressed like the Painted Lady to do it."

"Wow…" Tenzin blinked, turning around to face Katara. "You pretended to be a spirit to help people?"

"Something like that," the Water Tribe woman humbly muttered.

Aang chuckled, bringing his son's attention back to him. "She did. And one night when she was going to do it again, I caught her in the act…but she was determined to stop their suffering once and for all, so she asked me to help her destroy the Fire Nation factory. And we _did,_" he grinned widely, recalling the memory.

Tenzin gasped. "Nuh-uh! A whole _factory_?"

"The _whole thing,_" the Avatar repeated with a grand, dramatic gesture. "She used Waterbending to flood the inside; I used Earthbending to break the steel pipes…together we brought it all crumbling down, in just that one night! And boy…you could bet the soldiers weren't happy about _that_."

"What'd they do?" Tenzin inquired.

"They thought that the village was responsible somehow for their factory being destroyed," Aang continued, "So the next morning, they gathered up a small force and rushed out toward them, aiming to completely level it as a result. Your uncle was plenty mad at your mother, but she wasn't about to listen to him yell. She flat-out _refused_ to turn her back on that village, and declared that even if she was going to do it alone, she'd do whatever she could to help. Naturally, we all helped her. One last time, she went in as the Painted Lady. And you know what happened?"

"What, what?" Tenzin begged as he bunched his fists in avid anticipation.

Aang grinned. "She _scared_ the _pants _off of them. With our help, and a good demonstration of her Waterbending, all she had to do then was raise a hand against the evil Firebenders…and they all went _running_ back to their boats, never to return to the village again."

"Wooooow!" the child marveled, falling backward in amazement. "That's amazing!"

"It was a pretty amazing adventure," Aang agreed with a laugh. "After that, Katara did the right thing and revealed herself for who she was. Then, along with us, she helped the village completely clean the river. It took another day off our schedule, but even your Uncle Sokka was happy to help. To this day, that village never had trouble again…all thanks to your mother and her courage."

Awed, Tenzin turned to the Waterbender, who had a smile from ear-to-ear and a deep rosy tint on her cheeks. "Now _that's_ an amazing story. You're a real hero, Mama!"

"I just did what I thought was right," Katara shrugged, her voice overcome with a trembling laugh. "It was still wrong of me to impersonate a spirit; though the Painted Lady herself didn't seem to mind."

Aang blinked. "The Painted Lady herself?"

"Yeah, er…" she gave him a light grin and tugged at a few strands of hair. "I never told anybody about this, since you guys might have thought I was crazy…but, the night after we completely cleaned the river? I went out to test the water, and the spirit herself appeared before me and thanked me."

Her husband's eyes widened. "Okay, _now_ I'm impressed. It's not every day that a person gets a visit from a spirit." He smiled brightly. "It only proves how blessed you are with that courage of yours."

Unable to refute that, knowing what she knew, Katara only blushed deeper and smiled with the pride that she allowed herself to have.

Tenzin beamed and crawled over to his mother's lap, hugging her tightly. "I _really_ wish I could travel the world," he giggled, "So that I could do brave things like my mom _and_ my dad."

The two parents laughed together, and Katara embraced him back. "I don't see why you can't someday, my brave little Airbender."

"I think so too," Aang smiled toward his son before catching his wife's eyes. "But for now though, I think it's about time he went on an adventure to get ready for bed, don't you think?"

"Aww!" Tenzin groaned. "But I wanna hear more stories!"

Katara laughed. "In time, Tenzin, you'll learn them all. Like the time your dad took out a whole Fire Navy fleet with the help of the Ocean Spirit."

"Or the time your mom freed an entire prison of Earthbenders," Aang said with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes playfully at him. "Or the time _you_ braved a Fire Nation prison trying to find medicine for me and Sokka when we were sick."

"Or the time _you _kept us together and helped us out of being stranded in the desert," Aang continued.

Katara's blush refused to fade. "Will you quit that?"

"Quit what?" he laughed.

"Quit trying to outdo me."

"With stories about _you?_"

She snorted, suddenly aware of the humor in the situation. "Uh, _yeah._"

Tenzin giggled. "Just tell 'em all!"

Aang barked a laugh and picked the mirthful child up. "Not tonight, Tenzin. Bath time, then bedtime."

"Agreed," Katara smirked and playfully poked the boy's nose. "I'll be up in a second to run your water."

"Awh," the young Airbender grunted and resigned himself to being carried out of the room. With a motion of Aang's hand, the flames were doused in the fireplace, leaving the room in complete darkness.

As Katara followed her husband and son out into the dimly-lit hallway of the Temple living quarters, she couldn't help but want to open her heart to the feelings of accomplishment that their lives in the war had given her. Perhaps, she thought, it wasn't a bad thing to feel like a hero. It was all a part of her trail of destiny, and surely her husband had been wise enough to see that.

As soon as she thought that, a little ways ahead, Aang was heard snickering. "Hey, Tenzin."

"What?"

"Gravity."

"Pffffff…Haaaaha!"

Katara's eyes rolled again. _Yeah…wise enough._

_

* * *

_

A while later, once they got Tenzin settled into his bed, Aang held his wife close as they ascended the stairwell to their room, his arm around her shoulders.

"It's neat to see how happy all those stories make him," Katara whispered. "Far different from living them."

"It is," Aang admonished with a long sigh. "It's a nice feeling. He'll know everything...what we've done, how we've changed so many lives for the better…and he has a right to know it, as do all of the children we know."

Katara smiled, leaning against him and resting her head on his shoulder. "I agree."

Aang turned to place a soft kiss on her forehead, and then let out a chuckle as he blushed in memory of the Painted Lady venture. "You know, I meant what I said back then. You were very pretty in that outfit. I bet you rivaled the spirit herself."

She scoffed, blushing furiously. "I doubt it. I barely remember what she looks like now, but I know that she actually _was_ rather pretty for a spirit."

"Well, even if I'd have seen her too…" the Airbender began as he looked into her eyes, "I'd have said _you_ were the beautiful one."

Katara sighed in resignation to his flattery, and pulled herself into his lips for a kiss. She let it linger, voicing all of her thanks for his compliment and his story of her courage and his praise for it in that single passionate moment.

Once they broke apart, she gave him a smile. "Come to think of it, I might still have that outfit lying around somewhere."

"Oh?" he grinned wryly. "You think you might allow me a visit from _my_ Painted Lady, sometime?"

"I dunno, I think the spirits might not like me impersonating one of them."

"Spirits are impersonated all the time," Aang pointed out with an innocent roll of his eyes. "They know it's in good fun."

"Well, if you're sure…" Katara hummed in thought, "I'd at least have to do it _right_ this time. I didn't completely look like the real thing before."

"How's that?" his head cocked to the side in curiosity. "The paint was the exact same."

"Oh, it wasn't the paint," the Waterbender wryly stated, pointedly avoiding his expression as she spoke. "If you recall the statue of the Painted Lady,_ she_ didn't have anything on under the robes."

It took a second for the difference to register in his head, which caused him to stop and stare. "Wait, you're saying that…"

But Katara was already out of sight further up the staircase, humming smugly to herself as her husband was left dumbfounded and red-faced.

_Maybe I oughta pay some more attention to these stories myself._


	17. Friends in Fire

((AN: I know that a few of you had fallen rather in love with Zuko and Mai's little twins; and so have I, those sneaky rascals. x3 So an idea came to me of just one cute little instance where Tenzin would be spending a little free time with his friends in the Fire Lord's palace. The funny thing is, I kinda got inspiration from another Nickelodeon show in writing their mannerisms; IE, Phil and Lil from The Rugrats. The twins'd be inseparable, but when they get into an argument, good luck getting them to stop. xP

Also, yes, I do imagine that Iroh would turn them into little tea-lovers whenever he gets the chance. Hey, if his nephew couldn't grasp the importance of tea, why not his great-niece and great-nephew? :B (Ironically, I'm not a tea person myself. Go ahead and call me a blasphemer if you wish. xP)

Enjoy, everyone, and thanks so very much as usual for the wonderful reviews. I'm especially glad that it's been observed that I write children realistically enough to their ages. Tenzin I imagine would be a bit precocious, but still so very young and distracted. x3

Mike and Bryan own everyone but the fan-spawn twins. They're mine. x3))

* * *

"Jasmine!"

"Ginseng!"

"_Jasmine!_"

"GIN. SENG!"

"JAS. MINE!"

Tenzin and Iroh both simply blinked as they watched the twin Fire Nation heirs stare each other down in the midst of their latest argument. It seemed to be proven right then that, no matter how similar Ursa and Kazu were, they indeed had different tastes when it came to their great-uncle's famous tea.

"Alright, alright!" the former General chortled once there was a break in the argument. "Let us compromise. I can say with great experience that _both_ flavors are exceptional when done right. It is no difference if either of you like one better than the other."

"Um," Tenzin shyly piped up with a smile, "I like Lychee best."

"You see?" Iroh smiled and gestured toward the young Airbender. "Everyone is different. One must learn to respect different opinions."

The twins simply snorted and turned away from each other. "Ginseng's still better," Kazu muttered, to which Ursa replied with a raspberry.

Seven-year-old Tenzin always found the Fire Nation a fascinating place when he was brought to visit. It was a place that used to be known in stories as the territory of the enemy…a country of war-mongers. But ever since his father brought down the former Fire Lord and Zuko had famously taken his rightful place on the throne, it was now slowly becoming a part of the world again…a fourth of a whole puzzle, as balanced as the other Nations. Now, he and his parents were always welcome right into the Royal Palace, and the children were always treated like guests of nobility, for they had the blood of heroes. Tenzin most of all was looked upon with bright, cheerful smiles and respectful demeanors, for he was the son of the Avatar, and the first Airbender born in over a century.

That didn't mean, of course, that he didn't feel a bit uncertain about it all sometimes. Sure, Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai were his godparents, and their prince and princess were among his best friends…but when it came to always hearing about Fire Nation trouble, rebellions, and such that his father had to deal with…it was unexplainable. The atmosphere surrounding the volcanic lands just seemed rather off to him.

Nobody ever had the heart to explain that, perhaps, he had inherited a spirit of fear from his Air Nomad heritage. Even from beyond the realm of the dead, it was never forgotten about the greatest shame of the Fire Nation. A tale of a crime of genocide that would stand solid as a stone in history, never forgotten or erased.

Aang himself could see it in the eyes of any former soldier of the Fire Nation he walked past with his family, while his son was in tow. Happiness for the Avatar…shame and pity for themselves. Tenzin was perceptive enough in his youth to catch the slightest inclination of that discomfort and wonder about it before his childish mind was eventually distracted by other, more fun matters.

It was a calm and festive day in the Fire Nation, with the Summer Solstice just around the corner. Aang and Katara had gone out into the market in the city for a while, and a visiting Iroh insisted on watching him in the palace; he was babysitting the twins anyway, he reasoned, so one more child in the room wouldn't have made a difference. Especially one as level-headed as Tenzin. And the young Airbender looked forward to playing with his friends.

Who would have thought, then, that they'd be playing in a room of the palace that was normally never reserved for frivolities? The grand, empty throne room and its air of reverence—all that the walls and intricate artwork had heard and seen and lived through—were lost amidst the echoes of innocent, shrill laughter. The space though had a soothing sense of warmth to it, the lights of torches spilling over each corner and making any imposing shadows vanish. No longer was the throne set upon a stage with fire blazing on all edges of it, casting its ruler in hidden veils of the trickery of light and shadow. He did not hide his countenance or his intentions. He did not put himself above his people…he was a leader, though stood mentally right among them. The Fire Lord was no longer someone to be feared, but to be looked upon as a respected, patient authority of peace. He welcomed any who wished his council…any servant, any ranking generals, or his own friends and children, as a great change from how he was raised himself.

The throne itself was empty; Zuko had been attending meetings all afternoon. So the room was just occupied with a few watchful—and amused—guards, Iroh sitting at the long central meeting table with his plates of tea and snack cakes, and the three children as they forgot any earlier arguments to let loose their endless pits of energy in games of hide-and-seek (which an eager Kazu would try to turn into hide-and-explode, if Tenzin didn't demonstrate any of his Airbending moves that'd swipe the prince off of his feet in an instant).

The twins had learned the very basics of Firebending only a year ago; breathing exercises and careful stances always had them aware of the true power of their talent. But like their parents, sometimes they would show some rather explosive tempers, and there were times they'd nearly, unwittingly, burned the people that they played with in the midst of their roughness. Since then, with their father's strict coaxing, they had learned to keep their impromptu Firebending under control.

It was a nostalgic affair for the adults involved, though; Zuko was reminded of his own troubles learning Firebending. Thankfully, his children as siblings got along _much_ better than he and Azula ever did, and they both even seemed to hover around the same level of proficiency. While not prodigies, they were looked upon with pride in their talents all the same.

And as Iroh watched on, the Dragon of the West fondly thought back to better times with his own family…Zuko and Azula as innocent children…Lu Ten playing eagerly with them as the three youngsters before him now did. _I hope you are seeing this, my son, _Iroh sighed as he closed his weary old eyes. _There is peace and children's laughter ringing unburdened in the air once more…this isn't what we fought for before, but now, I can see it was truly the better choice._

"Race you back to the table!" Kazu was heard challenging. The children all broke into a quick run, taking a lap around the floor before heading for where Iroh sat with the warm cups of their choices of tea.

Tenzin had suddenly shot into the lead at the last instant, and he all but fell on the low platform with giddy laughter while the others caught up, out of breath. "I win!"

"Not fair!" Ursa grouched as she came in second. "You cheated! You Airbended yourself to run fast!"

"Did not!" Tenzin argued, grinning. "I'm just quick."

"Cheater, cheater, flame-bug eater!" Ursa chanted.

"I don't eat bugs!" the Airbender gagged.

"Yeah, he doesn't," Kazu pointed out. "He's a vegim…um…vegit-a-garian? He doesn't eat animals."

Iroh interrupted the banter with loud, rumbling laughter. "It wouldn't be very advisable for one to eat flame-bugs anyway. Here now, kids, settle down and drink your tea. It's better for you."

"Thank you, Uncle Iroh," the twins chanted together as they grabbed their cups.

"Yeah, thanks!" Tenzin beamed as he took a sip out of his own cup.

"My pleasure," Iroh grinned. "One is never too young to know how to calm the mind and relax with a cup of tea and enjoyable company."

"Yeah," Kazu shrugged. "But I wouldn't mind if Dad's meetings were over with. We never see him much."

"He's the Fire Lord…he's always busy," Ursa giggled.

"Is Fire Lord work busier than Avatar work?" Tenzin wondered out loud, his head tilted curiously toward his friends.

Kazu let out a snort. "Well, does _your_ dad rule a whole Nation?"

"Kinda-sorta," the young Airbender hummed. "He's in charge of all the old Air Temples."

"The Palace Schoolmaster taught us a little about the Air Nomads," Ursa said, picking up the interest of the conversation. "He said they all disappeared except for your dad."

"Yeah," Tenzin nodded, thoughtfully averting his gaze. "It's weird. When ask him about what happened to them, he says 'I'll tell you when you're older'."

"When someone tells you that, you know it's bad," Kazu frowned. "You probably don't wanna know."

"The prince has a point," Iroh gently added after listening quietly to the conversation for a while. "You will learn as you grow older, little one, that the history of each Nation is full of many great and terrible times. Like a river that bends with each rock in its path, it is not always straight and narrow. But you will learn everything in time. There are just some things that children are not meant to find out about."

Tenzin nodded cautiously. "Okay…I hope I'll find out. It's weird to think about sometimes."

"C'mon, Ten," Kazu giggled as he playfully shoved his friend's shoulder. "There's something that Dad tells us all the time: 'don't dwell on the past, but look to the future'. History's not all that fun anyway. So there were a bunch of people and they did a bunch of different stuff. Blah, blah, blah. I'd rather have fun _now._"

"That's what _my_ dad says too," Tenzin smiled. "But he also says you could learn a lot of lessons from the past."

As he listened, Kazu downed his tea and let out a loud burp, which had the children snickering. Ursa poked her brother in the arm teasingly. "Can Kazu learn manners from the past?"

"If _you _can learn not to be so prissy," the prince muttered back.

"I'm not prissy!" his twin shot back, before trying to sit up and look dignified. "I'm just fancy."

"So'm I," Kazu said, mimicking her posture.

Tenzin tilted his head. "What's great about being fancy?"

"It's a royalty thing," Iroh whispered to the Airbender. "Don't think too much on it."

"Aren't _you_ royalty?" Tenzin inquired. "That's what the Queen Mother Ursa said once. You were supposed to be Fire Lord."

Iroh nodded somewhat gravely, surprised that his old sister-in-law would have been so open with their history to the children when she spoke to them. "Yes…but, in some circumstances, things can change. In my case back then, I didn't think of myself as very fit to rule. Destiny works in mysterious ways…I could have done more good as Fire Lord than Ozai if it had worked with me. But now, _none_ could do better good than my nephew. And I am content with my simple life in the Earth Kingdom and with my tea shop."

"More history," Kazu interrupted with a yawn, his body drooping and laying over the table. "Can we do something _fun_ now?"

Then, before anyone could answer him, the sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the chamber and were followed by the billowing flutter of an open curtain.

The heads in the room turned to regard Fire Lord Zuko, trudging into the room and toward them with his hand running exhaustedly over his face. He wore his flowing crimson robes open in a casual manner, and he'd let his hair loose from the topknot holding his crown in place as he sometimes preferred. The meetings were perhaps a little too long and tedious, Iroh figured, and the young ruler had wanted to return to a look of resigned comfort.

"Daddy!" the twins cried out in unison, immediately leaping from their seats to playfully cling to either of Zuko's legs. Tenzin stayed respectfully in place with Iroh as they watched the exchange between the ruler and his children.

The young Airbender liked his godfather; he knew nothing of the fearful submissiveness that the subjects of the Fire Lord needed to show in the past. He just knew that he was an important figure to his Nation, but overall, one of his father's best friends and teachers. There were times he looked imposing and mighty, when he was dressed fully in his ceremonial royal robes and had to stand tall to address his council or his people. His fearsome, recognizable scar gave him both a noble and unnerving countenance.

But there among his family…his mood lighter, burdens drawn away…and laughing with his young heirs as he knelt and took them both in a hug…he was anything but fearsome.

"Welcome back, nephew," Iroh smiled as he offered a cup of tea to the lethargic Fire Lord. "By the look of you, I'm guessing you're glad the meetings are over with today."

Zuko took the cup and sipped it with a grateful sigh as he all but fell to sit at the head of the table. "Like you wouldn't believe, Uncle. Those old coots are driving me up a wall with all their ideas on imposing control on the people from the former Earth Kingdom colonies. They have it bad enough already, when most of their number make them look bad by leading rebellions on Fire Nation grounds."

The former General sighed. "I know the feeling. You can't fault most people their opinions. But, at least it's over for now, and you have your life to live."

"Thank goodness," Zuko replied, letting his children both relax in his lap. When he glanced up at the Avatar's son, he lightly smiled in greeting. "Hey there Tenzin…sorry, almost forgot you were there too."

The Airbender giggled. "It's okay, I get that a lot. Dad says I'm a small kid."

It wasn't much of an exaggeration, either; as he was growing, Tenzin started to look as if he was destined to inherit his father's once-wiry frame. He was older than Kazu by a year, but the six-year-old Firebender was just a few hairs taller. Differences among benders from all Nations were interesting to note even at early stages, Iroh thought with a strand of curiosity in the part of his mind that once studied people from all over the world.

"Ah, you won't stay small for too long," Zuko chuckled. "You're all growing like weeds. I feel old now."

Iroh barked a laugh. "You feel old _now?_ Ha! Trust me, you'll _really _feel old when they start to run circles around you."

"They do that already," Zuko muttered, causing the children to snort giggles into their drinks. He turned his attention back to Tenzin. "Anyway, were you guys having fun?"

"Yep," the child grinned. "I won a race."

"Liar, you cheated," Ursa argued.

Tenzin gave her his best insulted look. "I don't lie _or_ cheat. That's the monks' way."

The girl shook her head and whispered. "He totally cheated."

"Says the girl who cheats and runs to find different hiding places during hide-and-explode," Kazu shot.

Ursa gasped. "I do not!"

"Do too!"

Zuko halted their impending argument by lightly pulling on the back of their shirts. "Hey now, no fighting. And Kazu, what'd I tell you about playing hide-and-explode? You can't try to Firebend too often right now."

The boy shrunk into himself and glanced away. "Sorry," he chirped.

Smiling, the Fire Lord ruffled his hair. "It's okay; I know you're eager, but I just don't want you two to get hurt. You have a great talent, but it's a dangerous talent, and should be respected."

"I know," Kazu gave him a sheepish grin. "We don't hurt anybody."

"We don't wanna," Ursa added.

Tenzin jumped into the conversation. "Nobody used any Firebending anyway, don't worry; it was just running around."

Zuko chuckled. "I kinda miss the days when I could just run around like that and not become tired. But anyway, Tenzin, I'm glad you had fun. And your parents should be back from the market soon."

"That's good," Tenzin nodded. "I have lots of fun with everyone when I visit, but I start to miss 'em. I'm also worried about Mama. I keep forgetting to ask why she's getting a little fat."

At that, Iroh and Zuko shared a knowing glance between them. "I'm sure they'll tell you why soon enough," the tea maker chuckled. "But I wouldn't call your mother that in her presence."

"Another something a kid shouldn't know?" Tenzin blinked.

Zuko shrugged. "Kinda."

"Well, while we wait…" Ursa said with a sneaky smirk, before tapping the Airbender on the shoulder and jumping out of her seat with Kazu following close behind. "You're it!"

"Wha…? Hey, no fair, I'm always it!" Tenzin shouted as he took off after the siblings, his musings all but forgotten.

The chamber echoed with laughter once more, laughter that it was probably starved of after so long being a place where war councils met and the destruction of a Nation was once declared. As two veterans of that war sat and watched the youngsters, the pride and future of their world, they relived in their minds those few precious times when trouble and strife never existed and they, too, could rush over the world in raucous, childhood abandon.


	18. Waiting for Fate

((AN: This chapter jumps back into the past, somewhat shortly into Aang and Katara's marriage before her first pregnancy. Some time ago I watched an episode of a sitcom that dealt with a titular couple trying to have a child and failing multiple times; even going so far as to rely on ancient Chinese medicine to help with fertility. I thought it an amusing idea that, maybe just briefly, our heroes would go through the same dilemma...it's slightly plausible, given the possibility of so many distractions plaguing the Avatar for a while. Plus I felt the need again to write some passionate fluff, so, there ya go. =3

Thus, fair warning, much of this chapter skirts between the T and M rating. But I still kept it devoid of too many details; after all, the episode of the show that was the inspiration for this story is aired in mostly family-friendly network, so I doubt it's any more risqué than that. x3

May the mighty Mike and Bryan not smite me down for all this, for they own these guys, not I.))

* * *

Neither Katara nor Aang believed that much in superstitions. Of all the supernatural things that they'd gone through in their lives, from their own bending powers to the Spirits, they knew for certain that a person made their _own_ fortune; that luck only sent a guiding hand when it was either desperately needed or an obstacle had to be placed in their way to move through and earn a happy end.

But there were times, like a couple of years along into their marriage, when they couldn't help but believe one certain superstition that seemed the backbone of every old wife's tale: the more you want something, the harder it will be to obtain. And though the two of them relished and appreciated every day of their lives as a truly united couple, they also wanted more and more to become a family and share that happiness with lives that they would gave rise to.

They wanted children.

But as per that superstition, like some kind of giant cosmic joke, they had been having no small amount of trouble.

If it wasn't due to simple bad timing, it was often the guests that would visit their home every so often that kept the couple resigned and restrained of themselves, from their friends and family to anyone seeking the Avatar's help. Or perhaps it would be the traveling they had to do in the case of world-restoring matters or stints and meetings that went on for far longer than needed. Most nights together instead were spent sleeping, too overtaken by some amount of exhaustion on the part of one or the other, or both.

"You'll see," he'd told her, probably trying to convince himself just as much of it, and all the while giving her that calm and optimistic look in his sparkling gray eyes, "All the squabbling in the world will eventually slow down and we'll have more time to just live our lives."

At one point, Katara wondered if Aang's seemingly-endless pit of patience would _ever_ wear off. _Hers_ certainly felt like it was at the threshold most days.

* * *

It was an uncommonly warm late-winter afternoon at their refurbished Southern Air Temple home one very lazy day. Katara was alone and enjoying the silence, musing on the matter as she lay reclining on a couch in their comfortable living quarters. The Waterbender was reading through a couple of letters sent from Sokka and Suki in their stay at the South Pole. Both she and Aang had been excited to hear some time ago that the Kyoshi Warrior was pregnant. Now, she was due very soon.

Though the thought of being an aunt had excited Katara (and Aang, who couldn't stop smiling the rest of the day afterward), she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She'd wondered when all of these distractions would _ever_ cease, the Universe would cut her a break, and she and her soul mate would become parents as well.

She'd confided in Suki about the problem, of course; she had become like an older sister figure to Katara (certainly closer than Mai was at any rate) and she spoke to her more about personal issues than anyone, save for Gran-Gran. Of course, the fighter-turned-mother was happy to help, and offered advice as well as sending a few herbal remedies in the mail; ancient and oft-forgotten methods that were said to help with fertility and potency, and the like, that she'd heard about.

_Probably explains why you usually had to pry them away from each other with a hook after they were married, _Katara rolled her eyes and massaged her forehead. _Then again, THEY didn't have people left and right asking for the Avatar's help._

She only hesitated before taking a sip out of the tea cup next to her on the table, in which she'd mixed one of those remedies; if for curiosity's sake. And Suki had said they were safe.

Then, thoughts turned to the possibility that the problem was with _them,_ if not the timing. _I don't think –I- have a problem,_ she thought as her stare drifted up and away from the letter. _But Aang said his life span could have been cut short by his hundred years in the iceberg and in the Avatar State. Could it also have an affect…on…?_

Katara snorted and felt a blush cross her face as she turned over on the couch and let her face hit the pillow on the headrest. _Nah, that might just be a little silly. He was frozen when he was –twelve-, and Avatars became fathers before him…ugh, thinking too much. I might be going a little stir-crazy with impatience. I'm NEVER this pessimistic._

The Water Tribe Master let out a long sigh before pushing herself back up into a sitting position and re-rolling the letters up to set them to the side. She took a few seconds to let her breathing become deep and meditative, which always calmed her down just a little; the fine points of meditation was something Aang had taught her to do that was useful in stilling a racing heart. Even when he was away, she was comforted by mere thoughts of him.

A few moments into her meditation, the Waterbender heard a door slam from somewhere off into the hall, followed by footsteps. She knew only one person it could be, and she looked up to see the object of her thoughts trudging into the entryway with a loud groan rising from his throat. With his eyes dulled and narrowed and his mouth set in a thin line, he looked pretty fully exasperated.

And with good reason; some of the officials and Sages from Ba Sing Se had come to the temple to visit and have a meeting with the Avatar to plan out the finer details of some of their religious and cultural festivities in the coming months of spring. While Aang was more than happy to help out, he did find most meetings tedious at best; especially with the Earth Kingdom officials, whose rock-steady beliefs never really fit his interests in the slightest.

Katara tilted her head and gave him an amused smile. "By that look, I'm guessing the meeting was as fun as ever."

The Airbender blinked tiredly as he walked to the couch and practically fell on it, sitting next to her without much of a response…other than what sounded like "mrfle" muttered in the hand rubbing his face.

His wife held in a chuckle. "Yeah, I figured so. Here, turn your back to me."

He wordlessly complied, not even meeting her look. Invited nonetheless, she sidled closer to him, stretched her fingers, and pressed her palms to his shoulders to massage some of the tension out of the springy muscles beneath his tunic. She smiled when he let out a short, pleasurable groan in response to her diligent touch and sagged forward, relaxing.

"Now, you gonna tell me what's got you so tensed up?" she grinned while continuing to work in his shoulders and upper arms. She could sense him smiling at her light-hearted mood as well as the soothing attention she afforded him.

He kept his eyes closed and let out another incomprehensible mutter before answering. "Yeah…the meeting was just nothing much but some long-drawn out drivel. Mostly we talked about the upcoming festivals, but then one of Kuei's councilmen brought up a few ideas for new laws that they couldn't bring up to the king himself, because they _knew_ he'd turn them down…'But that's the _point, _Councilman,' I said to him, 'you're _supposed_ to bring stuff up with the king, right?'...but no, they bring it up to the Avatar, because they think they can _get_ me to make him see reason."

Katara couldn't help but blink and let out a loud snort at the absurdity. "Are you serious? They actually said that?"

"No, but they implied it." His voice was flat and eyes narrow. "I told them—in the most polite and articulate manner possible—'not a chance, you idiots'. Which of course caused us to debate until the end of the meeting over how I'm absolutely _not_ some tool for power play. I couldn't get out fast enough."

The response was an immediate bark of laughter from Katara, which caused Aang to snicker a little himself. She continued her tender ministrations over his shoulder blades. "At least it's over now, right?" she murmured.

"Mm…yep," Aang let out a long sigh, lightly rolling his shoulders with the motion of her hands. "Sooner or later I'll get rid of this urge I have to drop all of my 'well-mannered monk' practices and curse the ever-loving sh—excuse me, _spit_—out of the Earth Kingdom council."

Katara chuckled again and brought her fingers up to rest on his neck, just slightly letting them slip into his collar. She felt him shiver slightly in response. "I'd rather you didn't curse. I like it when you're not so serious, and that you can get out of your Avatar cloak for a while just to be my sweet, happy Aang."

The hint to her mood wasn't very lost on the Airbender; her voice had taken on a lower, hypnotic tone that invited a shiver up his spine. He slightly turned his head to meet her eyes with a warm grin and a splash of pink over his cheeks. "I like that better too."

She gave him a smile back as her hands slowly worked into his top and over the skin of his shoulders, pressing on the sore muscles and earning her a twitch from his body and a quiet moan. "Anyway," Katara continued, her voice dropping into a low whisper, "I've been doing some thinking, myself."

"Oh?" he hummed, his breathing coming out a little deeper with each passing minute. "What about?"

She carefully kneaded his upper arms under his fabric as she spoke. "Well…we don't have anything scheduled for the next few days, right?"

"Mm-hm."

"No meetings, no places to travel to…"

"Yes?"

He felt Katara scoot in closer behind him, her front neatly pressed to his back as her hands dared venture further down into his top. Her silky-soft palms took in every firm detail of his chest. She could feel his heart practically trying to break through his ribs, and it only intensified when she pressed her lips to the side of his neck and spoke in a voice that was entirely too musical in proximity of his ear. Musical and yet…dare he think…almost feral.

"So…we don't have any _distractions, _Aang."

His eyes shot open, and his breath came in a sharp gasp upon hearing his name whispered with _that_ familiar, feathery pitch. His entire body seemed just a few degrees warmer, and it only served to draw her further against him. As he sat frozen, taking in the sensations crawling enticingly on his skin, she was rising on her knees on the couch while still pressed to his back. Her hands only ventured further in and downward, trickling on his abdomen. Her lips trailed tender, light kisses all over the sensitive places on his neck and near the base of his jaw.

"Nnh…" he groaned in pleasure and breathed deeply, to which she responded with a vibrating hum from her lips over his skin. Being able to feel the entirety of his body expand and contract to his breathing only intensified the electric, heat-ridden feelings coursing through her right then. In turn, his blood rushed faster as he felt all of her against him from behind…her hands wanderings slowly over his front…and he couldn't tell if he should have been feeling very warm or _very_ chilly.

"Someone seems…mmf…_affectionate_, suddenly," he observed with a shaky laugh as he tried to stifle his harsh breaths.

Katara grinned, sliding her arms with deliberate slowness out of his tunic. He turned on the couch to face her, and she pulled herself up so that she sat and straddled his lap, her intense blue eyes never once leaving his wide and stormy gaze.

She faced him with tender, loving eagerness in her stare; shy though she looked with a rosy pink tint on her face. Both had an intoxicating effect on Aang right then.

"It's hard to explain," she said in one long breath as her arms reached up to clasp around his neck and bring her as achingly close as possible. "I just feel…I _want_ to be close to you. I guess I've just been waiting too long for an opportunity like this." She closed her eyes and tenderly laid her head against his chest.

She gently nestled onto him, wordlessly seeking his touch and his approval. He let a warm smile cross his face in regard to this beautiful Waterbender, the absolute love of his life, and he wrapped her tightly with his arms. He scooted forward just slightly only to fall back on the couch, taking her with him.

"Surprisingly…I don't mind," he murmured against her cheek. It was her turn to shiver and let _him_ feel what _her_ breathing did whenever he gifted his affections on his wife. He let his lips drift into the crook of her neck to lay soft kisses and playful nips across her skin.

Katara didn't know whether to blame the herbs or her own desire for making her heart thunder a beat for the growing storm within. Her cheeks went flush with warmth as she took in the sensations; immersed with Aang, bathing in his essence, his scent, and his eager and attentive kisses…

And when he teasingly blew cool air—not transformed from his warm breath, but _actual cold air_—onto the places over her skin where he'd left his moist trail, she released a loud giggle and scrunched her legs up on either side of his hips, causing him to vocalize a strangled half-laugh, half-moan along with her.

"I _really_ hate it when you do that," she relayed, though her tone was one tickled with mirth.

"No you don't," he accused back, smirking against her tingling nerves while his hands traced along her spine.

"Oh…shut up," Katara growled as she pulled back from him, meeting his eyes, and promptly took his lips over with hers.

When they kissed, a powerful heat wave took them both over, and there came the desire to come much closer than they already were right then, firmly pressed against the contours of the other's body. But the kiss itself was soft and thorough; passionate and overflowing with love and want and need…meant to open the entirety of their hearts to the one before them. They claimed each other's very breaths and coaxed strangled versions of their names out of their lungs every time they parted lips and flowed right back.

Katara could take it no longer, and by all that she could sense, neither could Aang. _Finally,_ she couldn't help but think as she reached for the sash that held his top open, while his fingers gripped for her waistband. _Finally, just an opportunity to…_

"Hey! Lovebirds! Someone's in the room!"

The sudden shout of a third, shrill female voice startled the two back into reality. Yelping out in unison, the couple found themselves flat on the floor next to the couch in less than two seconds, groaning in both pain and frustration.

Shooting up from their position to peer over the top of the couch, they saw a certain blind Earthbender leaning against the doorframe with a smug grin overtaking her face.

"Oh _for pity's sake, _Toph!" Katara roared. "Don't _do_ that!"

"Aw, Sweetness, you break my heart," the snarky Earthbender feigned a hurt voice. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"Ugh," Aang groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I forgot she was visiting today."

"You _forgot?_" the Waterbender echoed, eyeing him. "That _would_ kinda be something to remember to say in this situation."

"I know, sorry," he admonished with a long sigh as he stood and straightened himself out again. "Hey Toph...what's going on?"

She laughed. "Other than seeing how easily I could scare the _skin_ off the two of you? Not much, actually." She jerked a thumb in another direction. "Though, I forgot where you said that the pantry was moved, Aang. Haven't eaten a thing all day."

He laughed nervously, catching Katara's glare from the corner of his eye. "Yeah, I forgot about that too, I guess…ah…" he turned with an apologetic smile toward his wife, able only to voice his permission through his eyes.

She regarded him with what he could only describe as a combination of anger and sadness in her wide azure gaze for a long pause, before she turned and waved her hand dismissively. "Just go before I decide to freeze you to the couch."

"Gotcha…I'll see you later though," he said in a hurried tone coupled with a sincere grin and leaped off to assist Toph.

As she watched him leave, Katara stood and straightened her clothes and disheveled strands of hair. But all the while, that inner fire still raged.

_Now I know how Sokka feels when the Universe loves to prove him wrong._

* * *

"So, what's gotten into Katara?" Toph inquired curiously as she followed behind the Avatar. "I don't think I've ever heard her shout like that whenever I interrupted something."

Aang quivered just slightly, reminded of his wife. He was feeling the same frustration as she was—the heated butterflies in his stomach _still _hadn't calmed, and were thus rather distracting—but, he knew how to keep low-key about his own feelings. The monk took a deep breath and paused for a second, trying to remember what he was doing. _Oh, right, food._

"She's just been…well, I imagine, pretty impatient lately with things," he started explaining, nervously scratching the back of his head in the process. "What with some of these meetings and other world-fixing we've had to do, there hasn't been enough time in our marriage to just _be_ with each other."

"Ahhh…I get it," Toph grinned. "No newlywed down-time and baby-making for Twinkletoes and Sweetness."

Aang blushed furiously, and the Earthbender snickered at the sense of his heart speeding up as if he were running. "Pretty much got the nail on the head, actually," he hummed. "We're very ready for children, and Katara especially wants to be a mother." A gentle smile crossed his features. "Can you imagine what a wonderful family we'll have together?"

Toph sighed and rubbed at her eyebrow. "Y'know, I don't think I've ever seen a bigger couple of sickeningly-romantic saps than you two. Though Sokka and Suki come close."

"Nope, I'd have to say _we're_ sappier," Aang laughed.

"You're _proud_ of being a sap?" the Blind Bandit's foggy eyes widened as she barked a chuckle. "You really_ are_ in touch with your feminine side, Arrowhead. I'm surprised you can still be tough enough to Earthbend."

"It's just who I am," he shrugged with a lopsided grin before leveling his gaze thoughtfully to the halls in front of him. "Anyway, Katara might not think it, but I'm about as frustrated as she is. I really believe that when the time's right, we will definitely have children. But I also keep wondering if something's wrong with us, other than all the distractions and the timing."

Toph shook her head with a sigh. "Twinkletoes, the only thing that's wrong is that you both worry _far_ too much. I don't know anything about families and kids and stuff, but I think that you should accept what you have. You're both alive; you're both together, like you've wanted since _forever._ _That_ should be enough. If you have kids, you'll be great parents. If you don't, the love's gonna still be there. I know you both well enough to know that. So quit bellyaching, and just face the future head-on without fear, like I taught you; and you'll be happy."

"Alright…fair enough," chuckled the Airbender. Smiling at the reassuring words, he gave the young Master Earthbender a sideways glance. "Since when did _you_ get so wise, Toph?"

"I was always wise. I just prefer to be snide. I'm not gonna start showing people how fluffy and prophetic I can be just because I grew up," she said, punching a fist to her palm for emphasis.

Aang snickered. "Yeah, _that's_ the Toph I know. Anyway, Katara will cool off sooner or later, and then we can all catch up."

"Hope so," Toph nodded as she idly blew her bangs out of her face. "I miss all of ya. What's Captain Boomerang and Suki doing lately, do you know?"

"Well, did you know that Suki's about to have her baby soon?"

Toph froze and blinked. "…_What?_ Fan-girl's pregnant, and nobody told me?"

Aang turned back to her and quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, she's about eight months along. What, they didn't send a letter or anything?"

"No! I'm _always_ left out of the loop, why is that?" she growled in frustration, and then scratched her chin in thought. "Then again, I _have_ been traveling a lot. I doubt even a messenger hawk would've kept up with me."

"I believe that, too," Aang's eyes rolled. "You oughta send more messages, yourself, and keep _us_ in the loop."

Toph snorted. "Right, I'll do that when I'll learn to write. Like, _never,_" she waved her palm in front of her face. "Duh."

"Oh, whoops," Aang winced. "Sorry."

She laughed and punched him in the arm. "It's okay. I can always get The Duke or someone to write for me, true. Besides, I never told anyone, but I like it when you guys forget that I'm blind. It tells me that you really see past that and just see me as a regular person."

"We always have," the Airbender chuckled in relief, before finally stopping in front of a short, wooden door at the side of the ornate hallway. "Anyway, that's the pantry, and the dining room's just a floor above you. And you know where to find us in the living quarters."

"No worries. Thanks a ton, Twinkletoes." She gave him a grin. "Now, get back to your girl. Just please, when I'm around, don't move the earth too much, huh?"

The Avatar chuckled and blushed again as he turned in the other direction. "No promises," he smirked.

Toph shook her head before setting to the task of ransacking the pantry. "_Completely_ hopeless, that's what you two are."

* * *

Aang took his time wandering back up the mountain to the portion of the temple he shared with Katara. On the way, his thoughts drifted hazily to many different topics. At first he simply hoped that Toph wouldn't eat them nearly out of house and home like she and Sokka had _both_ done the last time. Then they settled on her words of reassurance, and finally back to the foremost problem on the minds of both himself and his wife.

_I hope Toph's right, and there really isn't anything wrong,_ he thought with a fair amount of worry. _A family would make Katara so happy…make both of us happy._

But he had resigned himself to accepting that maybe it just wasn't the right time; it would just be a matter of convincing his beloved Waterbender, too.

The thought wasn't too far out of his mind as he was passing a hall where a few abandoned rooms had been turned into small storage areas. Katara's voice came from behind one of those rooms, the door slightly ajar. "There you are, Aang. Where's Toph?"

He figured she was just there looking for something, unsurprised at hearing her. Her tone was calm and casual as usual, though there was a sort of—_edge,_ he could only describe—to her words as she spoke. It was hard to pinpoint what exactly about it had made him pause.

"She's eating her way through the pantry by now, I think," he answered with a short shake of his head, his head tilted to regard the door.

"The one further below the mountain from here?" she inquired.

_Did I just hear a slight whimper?_ "The very same," he answered cautiously. "Why?"

"Oh, _good._"

Aang hadn't even a millisecond to comprehend how predatory she sounded right then, before her arms shot out from the closet and her fingers snapped around his wrist to tug him inside. The door was all but flung shut to encase them.

The two of them were very aware of just how narrow the small storage space was; it was more like a cupboard. They hadn't put anything inside yet, but there were a few shelves built into the walls, which was pressing into both of their backs. The room was just much longer than it was wide, and they were wedged front-to-front in that width.

But its exact dimensions weren't on Aang's mind so much as the fact that it just forced them to a _very_ tight space. The thick fabric of their clothing did nothing to curb the feel of a heated Waterbender pressed fully against him, his robes tugged taut in her firm grip, and her lips attacking his with fervent urgency.

"…A closet," he managed to breathe out his incredulous words between the torturous short pauses in the kissing. He tried and failed to focus on her in the _very_ dim lighting that the cracks in the door showed into the space.

Katara groaned, as surprised at herself as he was, but kept her eyes closed as she replied in hurried, determined tones amidst the crash of their lips together. "I wanted…to be…out of sight...where we…won't be interrupted…again. We're going…to _do_ this."

A fair answer…he hadn't much room for protest in the long run, especially when kissing her never failed to make him melt. Aang was hesitant only a moment longer before his eyes closed and he started to return her affections just as deeply. His own frustration on being interrupted earlier had come rushing back to the surface in the form of surging, boiling heat in his blood. Her movements against his body caused them both to groan out in frustrated lust once or twice.

However, something was indeed off about Katara right then, and he picked up on it even in the midst of passion. Maneuvering his arms awkwardly in the tiny space, he took a gentle but commanding hold on her shoulders and took over the pace of the kissing.

Now it was _her_ body pressed back to the shelves, taking his slower, calmer sensations in his lip movements with little protest. This delicate hold on her somehow managed to calm the tide of emotions in her body and left her heart in a chest-rending but steady beat. _Not yet,_ he relayed to her without words, but through his insistent tenderness. _Not yet._

Once she stopped struggling with him, Aang lightly broke away from his soul mate and took a deep, steadying breath. It was useful being a monk, he thought, when his practiced meditation methods had managed to steady him even when a woman's chest moved tightly against his own with every inhalation.

He licked his lips briefly. "You taste like medicinal tea," he accused, quietly and with the intent of seeking understanding.

Katara nodded, distractedly flexing her fingers on his forearms. Her breathing was still heavy and burdensome as she tried to keep her mind off the feel of Aang pressing against her everywhere. "I've been drinking some of the herbs that Suki sent me, this morning. Just one cup. I didn't think...Nnf!...that it'd be so _strong_."

"It's a good thing we trust Suki…" he muttered, biting his lip and keeping himself frozen. "Mmf…or else, I wouldn't be very sure about you taking those."

"I know…I wasn't sure either," she said with a long sigh. "I want things to be natural, too…but, I don't know…I thought it would be worth a try…just in case…"

"In case something was wrong?" he breathed out.

She sheepishly nodded. "Yeah. And all these…distractions, traveling, and…I'm just so…_tired_ of it…"

Katara shuddered against him, causing another strangled grunt to erupt from the back of his throat. But as he felt her slacken, she simply wrapped her arms around his body and laid her head against his shoulder, nuzzling into the warm fabric of his clothes. This wasn't the needy, demanding clutch for him that she had earlier. This was a hold that simply begged for his comfort and his balance, which as always he was only happy to give. The calm hold on her and their slow, even breaths eventually brought their turbulent emotions to a state of peace. It told her that Aang, too, understood.

"Aang," he heard her whimper, somewhere in the darkness with him. "Do you think fate is trying to tell us something? Are we even _meant_ to be parents?"

Her husband's cheek nestled comfortably into her hair. "Why would you think that?"

Katara didn't know the answer to that, herself. Just like she was berating about earlier, the cloud of pessimism hanging about her thoughts refused to leave her alone.

"I guess…" she slowly breathed, "I'm afraid. So much happened to us already. We gave the world peace again, and we're a true family now. But we—you—have so much responsibility to face up to yet. I want children, so much…but there's so much complication...and…"

"Shh," Aang tenderly interrupted, his hands running over her shoulders. "I know how you feel, Katara. I've had the exact same thoughts. I've worried. But…Toph told me something that you should probably hear, too."

Despite herself, the Waterbender giggled. "The Avatar is once again given sage advice. Well, let's hear it, then."

He returned her soft laugh before speaking. "Well…she said that maybe...there's nothing wrong. That we're just too wound-up and worried, and going a little too fast for thoughts on family. Not that I don't think we're meant to be parents…I _know_ we will be…I just don't think it's the time. I keep telling you that the world will eventually start running on the right path again, and there will be less for us to deal with soon enough…fate seems cruel at times, but there is a reason for everything that happens. We know that better than anyone. I want you to trust that, Katara. Do you think you could?"

At his soothing words, she berated herself for feeling so foolishly and for acting on it like she had. Of course, her fears on the subject of fate's cruelty will never be able to leave her mind…but for Aang's sake, and for the optimism that she thought was lost these past few months…she would indeed trust it.

"I think I could…" Katara finally admonished, pulling back enough to touch her cheek against his. "I know you're right, Aang. I...sorry about all of this."

"Don't worry," he smiled, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. "It once took me a while to realize that the future shouldn't be rushed into as well, you remember."

The Waterbender snickered. "All too well, Mr. 'I wanna shoot fire outta my fingertips'."

At that, Aang barked another laugh before looking into her eyes; as much as he could in the stark darkness. "Trust me, Katara…my beautiful Katara…we'll be parents, and perhaps, sooner than you think."

The Waterbender smiled slowly, comfortably, though the shelves still pressed them in to almost suffocating breathlessness. With her husband, the discomfort didn't matter. All that she needed to know was that he was there, and always would be…and she loved to be reminded of it. "I hope so," she whispered.

After a long pause of exchanging a loving, sincere stare with her, he smiled back. "Are you okay, now?"

She nodded. "Yeah…I am, I think…" Her eyes darted back and forth. "…But, there's one thing."

He quirked an eyebrow, concerned. "What?"

It was then that she gave him a playful, hesitant pout. "Well…I think I'm still under effects of the tea. And considering we can't move too well," she pointed out as she squirmed against him and coaxed another light moan from his throat, "Can we _please for the love of the Spirits_ finish what we started here?"

At first, Katara couldn't read the look he gave her. He took another deep, steadying breath and took on a stoic appearance with closed eyelids. It looked as if he'd deny her this time, and perhaps rightly so.

But then, suddenly, he gripped her shoulders and locked his foot behind hers, wrenching the both of them from the wedge of their bodies in the tight space. Instead of pushing out of the door, they collided rather roughly with the smooth back wall, fitting into the more comfortably accommodating length of the closet.

She could _feel_ the devilish grin on his face, as well as the ragged breaths on her face and trailing over her neck.

"By all means," he murmured longingly on her skin, his voice low and tinged with valiantly held-back fervor that forced a sudden gasp from her throat. Once again, their lips met with fierce passion as their no-longer-entombed bodies slid to the floor. Any past worry became nonexistent, for they were always secure in the truth that they would always have each other and their love…and that was the foremost importance.

Toph of course teased them mercilessly once they all met again to catch up, but the Earthbender managed to keep her hopes for the two of them carefully hidden. They were hopeless, yes, but in a way that only foretold good for them in the future.

_Take that, superstition._


	19. The Stars and the Spirits

((AN: Happy Valentine's Day, all! ^^ Well, I said I'd submit a nice, fluffy story for today to balance the melancholy of my newest The Comet's Wake chapter, and so I have. :3 This little short takes place about a week or so after Aang proposes to Katara and they all travel to start renovating the Southern Air Temple. He's 14, almost 15, and she thus is 16. As I stated back in story 6, they'd wait for Aang to come of age before marrying...but _she_ was of the right age to still propose to, and so he did. x3 I deliberately avoided describing the engagement necklace when it was mentioned, too. I've read a lot of awesome design choices for it, but in the end, you guys can imagine it how you wish. :3

I also couldn't help but point out just how charmingly mature Aang was in the series for a twelve/thirteen-year-old. Just the freakin' cutest little hero ever. XD

Enjoy, and hope you all have a loved one to spend time with. :3

...Do I really need to say the disclaimer by now? xP *mutters* All and sundry belong to the FABULOUS Mike and Bryan, dudes.))

* * *

The Southern Air Temple was a _frighteningly_ quiet place.

Katara thought briefly on that as she walked through the sacred halls of the ruined mountaintop sanctuary just after nightfall. The young Waterbender was alone as she made her journey with a flickering torch in hand to illuminate her steps; her Airbender companion had retreated to make his room appear presentable for sleeping in while she made herself familiar with some of the immediate areas in the old living quarters of the Air Nomads.

After all, someday, she was going to reside there herself with Aang—currently her betrothed—and in less than a couple of years, her to-be-husband. The place needed to undergo a _lot_ of renovation yet before then, and she had faith that they and their friends could indeed get it done.

But for the present, the Waterbender felt like she was walking through a shell of a former hallowed ground. With the crackling fire of her torch and the sound of her own footsteps as her only companions, Katara felt for the first time in a while that she actually _wasn't_ ready for any sort of trouble.

Not that she expected trouble from anywhere in the Air Temple. This was a spiritual land; protected and sheltered as well as it could have been from the turmoil of the world. And with the Avatar somewhere around, she knew that it was safe. But still, the sanctuary boasted a sense of unease towards her. The environment treated her with silence and suspicion; a stranger in a strange land. It was as if the spirits didn't know what to make of her, and in turn she didn't know what they had in store. She'd visited the place a couple of times before, yes…and each time was a new experience. But now, since she arrived alone with Aang on Appa only a day ago, it was an experience that she had chosen to feel for much of the rest of her life.

The orange glow of the torch revealed the temple's scars as she passed by each room. Cobwebs marred every tall corner, and dust settled into the minute cells of the building to permanently stain the intricate paintings in a dull brown. Large cracks and chunks of missing wall threatened to foretell the permanent crumbling of a nation's legacy. And in too many places, there was soot…black, charred rock that told the story of exactly _why_ this place was so ghastly, empty, and dead.

And when her thoughts crossed into the possibilities of that time—the very instant that the Air Temples were attacked under a blood-red sky—Katara could have sworn that she could hear a hundred innocent Airbenders screaming...

A shiver crawled up her spine, and she tried to focus her eyes on the sight ahead.

All was still. All was quiet. Peaceful. No ghosts haunting, but for the doubts that crept into her mind. Would the Air Spirits welcome a stranger there after what strangers had done the last time? Would a Waterbender be seen as a threat, or be accepted?

But soon enough, in front of her appeared the door to Aang's old room, and the chills ceased. Her thoughts relaxed, and the rational side of her mind regained control. It was the Air Temple, the old home of her beloved, and nothing less.

"Aang?" she tentatively called into the darkness of the chamber and rapped on the door. A few seconds passed, and no answer came. The torch's light fell on the old space, which had been cleaned out neatly and slightly redecorated by the Airbender, and revealed that he wasn't in sight.

Katara quirked her eyebrows thoughtfully and entered, placing the torch in a sconce near the door. _He said he'd wait for me here._

At least in his quarters, his old private space, she didn't feel so uneasy. If it was at all possible, she could tell that she was in the right place…not because the room was kept cared for and tidy unlike the rest of the temple yet…but because it _felt_ just like Aang. It wrapped her in that little sanctuary amidst the uncertainties of an entire dead world, and kept her heart warm and happy in the fire-lit darkness.

Taking a breath, she hummed with thought and started to pace toward the bed. "Now where could he be…?"

"Katara? You down there?"

His recognizable voice—a little deeper in tone though it was since he was nearly fifteen—called out from somewhere outside.

Said Waterbender blinked in a startled fashion and cast her attention towards the window. "Aang? Where the heck are you?"

"Outside," he stated, before poking his head down from his apparent position on the zenith of the building and gazing upside-down towards the confused girl. "On the roof."

She snorted with amusement and crossed her arms. "And what, pray tell, are you doing up _there,_ O Master Airhead?"

He gave her a toothy grin. "Stargazing. I wasn't tired yet, so I figured, y'know, what the heck. Wanna join me?"

Katara laughed. "Up there on the roof?"

"Yep."

"And how do I get up there?"

He chuckled, tilting his head. "Well, there's two ways; you can learn to fly, or I can help you up."

Striding towards the opening in the far wall where he somehow hung from the parapet, Katara mockingly took an 'I'm thinking' pose. "Well, not being an Airbender, I can't fly…so I guess that leaves you helping me, if you would be so kind."

"I would be delighted," he spoke in a gentlemanly manner as he held his hands down for her to latch onto.

Carefully, she put a foot on the sill and reached out. They gripped each other's wrists, and with a heave accompanied by an artful feat of Airbending, Katara was pulled out and up to the comfortable and warm darkness to end up lying on the cool masonry next to Aang.

She gave out a mirthful laugh upon flopping herself beside him. "I should probably get used to being tossed around in high places a bit more, huh?"

"Well, you're going to marry an Airbender, so you might as well," he smirked back, his tempest-gray eyes twinkling. "Don't worry; you know I won't let you fall."

"I know," she answered with a smile, and the two of them turned to face the heavens.

She knew why Aang chose tonight to stargaze. The sky was _exceptionally_ clear, and the moon was dark. Nightfall on the top of a mountain where no lights could mar the view was something altogether different than most places in the world. The sky wasn't just dotted with stars; it was _splashed_ with them. Blinking and steady, all sorts of colors that the amateur observer only saw as white, and sometimes part of cloudy patterns and constellations…the stars were there, just for the only two humans upon that temple rooftop, and could be stared at for hours on end.

She glanced over toward Aang, the young man who was growing swiftly and had passed her in height some time ago. No ordinary teenager, but the Avatar. He was an enigma; he looked for all the world like a mirthful soul, with a smile on his still-childlike face. But she knew that he bore the weight of a century of turmoil on his shoulders. He ended a war and faced the reality of his people's annihilation. He was at that moment lying on a charred rooftop where monks could no longer be heard speaking and the wind whistled without benders to guide it…and still kept smiling, ever the normal boy on the outside of a 114-year-old soul, with all the happiness he could muster as he stargazed with the girl he loved by his side.

And she loved him just the same.

Returning her eyes to the stoic heavens, Katara sidled closer to him and leaned her head against his. Smiling, he gave her hair an affectionate nuzzle before reaching an arm up to hold onto her shoulders and pull her close. There, together, they could rest in each other's touch while contemplating the cosmos. As incredulous to that as the sleepy Waterbender was at first, she was glad to join him.

"Did you ever look at the stars very often when you lived here?" she inquired curiously as she idly toyed with his wooden Air Nomad necklace.

"Sometimes," he shrugged, his eyes kept to the stars. "There was never any time to do it at night. We were all early risers and early sleepers."

She hummed. "That's a little tragic, that you couldn't enjoy it so much."

He chuckled. "Just meant that I got to appreciate it more when I stayed up at night with you guys."

Katara nodded. "Good point…I saw the stars a lot at the South Pole during the summer, when the nights were endless; so I guess I got used to them. This, though," she raised her arm and gestured across the expanse above, "Is beautiful."

"Mm-hm," he grinned and squeezed her shoulders. "And so are you."

Katara blushed and let out a short giggle, playfully tugging on the emblem adorning his necklace. "Seriously, Aang, when in the world did the goofy, awkward little kid I found in the iceberg get so charming?"

"Mm-m-mm," he shrugged again with a laugh, his cheeks turning pink as well. "Came with the height, maybe."

"Yeah, right."

"Okay," he snickered. "I guess I just learned quickly what worked and what didn't."

"What 'worked'?" her eyebrow quirked playfully. "On how to impress a girl, you mean?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "Or at least, the girl I had a crush on."

She rolled her eyes and tried to look indignant, although she was still blushing. Her arms crossed. "Enlighten me then, Mr. Smooth, what worked."

"Easy," he said with a look of pride as he raised his free hand to rest behind his head. "I just learned. Being aloof and acting like I didn't care _sure_ wasn't one of them. You can thank Sokka for that piece of failed advice."

Katara snorted. "You asked _Sokka_ for relationship advice?"

"Well, he was the only other guy I knew."

"Point. Still though; _Sokka?"_

"Yeah, I know," he laughed. "Anyway, I stuck with being myself. That seemed to do it."

"And it was a good decision," Katara giggled and leaned in to kiss his cheek, which summoned a rush of crimson on his face as it had always done. "So you're just naturally charming?"

He giggled. "When I wasn't worried about how _you_ felt about me anymore. I _hated _getting all nervous and saying the wrong thing."

"Mmm," the Waterbender hummed in content and turned to rest against him once more. "You always _were_ pretty sweet for a young boy, though. I don't know how many twelve-year-olds would have made a replacement necklace for a girl if she lost hers, for one thing. Or who would listen to love songs or stories without gagging, or place so much effort into showing off for said girl."

"Or brave a volcano to look for a panda lily, again, for said girl?" he smiled.

"Or tell me that I looked beautiful in a dress without flinching," she finished, letting out a quiet laugh. "You're one-of-a-kind, Aang."

He grinned shyly. "I'm just me." A look of warmth crossed his features as his eyes dropped from her face to the piece of jewelry…her engagement necklace. His fingers lifted up to brush the shining pendant and run over the fabric adorning her sensitive skin before caressing her cheek. Her eyes drifted contentedly closed as a result.

"And I still can't believe how happy it makes me that you said yes," he whispered in a soft, loving whisper across her ear.

She smiled, breathing in his closeness. "I still can't believe how happy I am to have been asked. I always had a feeling that we'd be together forever. Now it's official."

Aang answered with a low hum. He drifted closer, taking in her peaceful visage through his half-lidded eyes. When he was near enough to feel her breath against his face, he cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss to her lips. The contact was slow, reverent, and full of adoration, lighting a fire in her heart and across the expanse of her blood.

_I forgot to mention how good a kisser he is,_ she thought while returning it with equal amounts of love.

They broke away after what seemed like an eternity, their eyes opening to behold each other. A combined breath broke from the lungs of the soul mates as a perfect moment of silence passed.

Their attention then drifted back to the sky, at the same time that a brief bright streak of white blazed over the starry expanse.

"Oh, a shooting star!" Katara beamed.

Aang's eyes widened as a few more of them passed by in various intervals. "Looks like we picked a good night to stargaze. It's like the meteor shower we watched in the Fire Nation."

"Only not so close," his betrothed agreed with a nod. Another particularly bright meteor passed by. "Did you make a wish?"

"Nope," he said with a smile. "I don't have anything to wish for."

"Really?" She blinked. "Nothing at all?"

"No," Aang confirmed again, sending her a warm look. "Because I _have_ what I wished for with me already."

_Curse him and his charm,_ Katara thought as the warmth crept up to her face. "Well, you sweet little guy, _I_ made a wish at least."

He faced her curiously. "What's the wish?"

Slowly, she touched the pendant of her engagement necklace and felt the intricate, detailed lines of the carving. "That we have a very long, very happy marriage."

Aang's eyes twinkled, but he wasn't about to show her that he was on the verge of tears at the sentiment. "There you go again, Katara, with your wishes that are useless…because we both know they're _certain_ to come true."

"Alright then," she grinned back and took his hand in hers. "I also wished that we'd have a lot of children."

The Airbender blushed brightly at the statement, turning to face her and squeezing her fingers. "Also a certainty, I think."

"Really?" Katara whispered.

"Really." His eyes shyly darted away from hers. "At least…I like to think so. Lots of little versions of us."

She giggled. "Lots of Waterbenders and Airbenders?"

"They don't even _have_ to be benders," Aang smiled sincerely and shrugged one shoulder. "They'll just be ours."

Katara nodded in full agreement. "It'll be nice to have a daughter," she whispered musingly. "Then I can give her my mother's necklace, and continue that tradition."

"That'd be nice, too." Aang comfortably shifted himself so that he was halfway sitting up over her, his weight held on one hand beside her head. "She'll have your hair loopies."

"Or just my hair," she laughed, running a few long strands between her fingers. "But maybe your eyes."

He grinned, meeting her deep azure gaze. "Or we could have a son with _my_ hair and _your_ eyes."

She laughed, running her fingers up across his cheek. "A son would be nice too. A sweet little boy for you to teach the ways of the world."

"Like impressing girls?" he grinned lopsidedly. "_Someone's_ gotta inherit my great skills."

"Aang!" she snorted, playfully smacking his chest. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"You're no fun," he giggled and slumped back beside her. "But you know what; we can always have both."

"Mm…true."

A comfortable silence stretched on between the couple. They snuggled together again, their eyes to the heavens as the shooting stars became few and far between. He took a long, deep breath, and so did she. The air smelled of fresh earth and melting mountain snow, and of each other.

Katara found herself coming back to a previous thought, and her lips creased into a slight frown. "Aang? I have a silly question."

"Shoot it at me."

She closed her eyes, and again visions of Air Nomads and temples and spirits came flitting into her mind. "There have never really been strangers at the Air Temples before, right? Until…" she held herself back from mentioning the Fire Nation, lest she'd ruin the moment with painful memories. "Until me and Sokka, and our friends. This place still feels so alive, even when it's empty. The spiritual energy, right?"

"Right," he tentatively agreed, his concerned eyes falling upon her. "We liked to believe that the Air Spirits protected this place. It was sacred."

She turned her head to him, halfway opening her eyes again. "Am I welcome here? By the spirits?"

Aang's eyebrows quirked upward. "Of _course_ you are, Katara. Why wouldn't you be?"

"I don't know," her chin lowered to her neck abashedly. "I just kinda felt…out of place when I walked through those halls. I'm from the Water Tribe. An outsider; a different kind of bender. Nobody's ever set foot here but Air Nomads. I keep waiting for something to tell me that I'm trespassing." She let out an uneasy chuckle. "Told you it was silly."

The monk didn't know what to say at first; he hadn't considered her thoughts on living with him very much. But hearing how uneasy she was, about to spend her life in a place still a little foreign, had suddenly brought within him a welling of concern. He leaned over her again, his palm resting against the side of her face. "You never have to worry about that, Katara. The temple is _my_ home…and when an Air Nomad invites you into his front door, it means that the spirits too have invited you."

Her breathing hitched a little at his touch and the soft tone of his voice, and her face nuzzled deeper into the safe cradle of his hand. "You're sure?"

"Positive," he answered without pause, sliding his fingers to her neck to rest on the engagement pendant. "We're family, remember? You and Sokka opened your world to me when you found me. Made me a member of your tribe. And I want to return the favor however I can. You're going to marry me, and have a family with me, while making our home here. Whether you're from the Water Tribe or _anywhere_ else in the world, you're as welcome here as one of my people."

There was a welling from within her heart, as she stared into those intense and exotic eyes. At once, no longer did the temple feel like such a strange place…nor did she feel like a stranger. She felt the same kind of emotion as whenever her feet crunched a pattern in the snow back at the South Pole…she was _home,_ with Aang. And the word _home_ resonated through her spirit like a resounding gong. It was too right to deny…too true to fear…too wonderful not to embrace.

His thumbs caressed slowly over her eyelids, and she was unaware that tears had started to cross the threshold onto her face at the revelations.

As she felt Aang leaning ever-so-closely over her, his weight supported by his elbows while they framed her body and left his fingers to caress adoringly over her hair and face, her eyes drifted closed and she simply embraced the wholesome sensations. This was right; this was pure. She was no stranger. She was the one a nomad had chosen to love; the one the Avatar had chosen to keep.

"I love you so much," she breathed, letting herself sleepily float away in his presence as her hands slid up around his back and pressed upon his shoulders.

"And you know I love you," he answered in kind, rubbing his nose against hers and trailing feathery kisses over her face. Her own lips weren't still, as they caught his from time to time with each delicate and sensual pass of their breaths. They bathed in their close proximity, and never hurried nor rushed it. They had all the time in the world.

_Or until Sokka and the others get here tomorrow,_ they reminded themselves with but a threadbare hint of annoyance that their time alone would be cut short then.

They only broke away when sleep had started to crowd their rushing minds. The two tried to see how much longer they could spend stargazing on the roof, pointing out familiar constellations and making up new ones, before it was time to call it a night and bid the heavens farewell.

They helped each other back through the window in tired silence. As Katara undressed down to her bindings and Aang to his pants, he exterminated the still-lit torch on the wall with a blast of Airbending. They watched each other in the darkness, sliding under the comfortable blankets and entwining in a warm snuggle while engaging in drowsy pillow talk.

"Y'know," Aang whispered as their eyes closed, "I'm probably gonna move us in the tower after we're married."

Katara giggled. "It'd be appropriate. You're sorta the head monk now."

"Kinda-sorta," he agreed with a short laugh. "Hopefully the spirits of the elders won't frown on me for stealing it for us."

She playfully poked his chest. "Oh, _now_ who's afraid of ghosts?"

"Silence, woman," retorted Aang, in a rather accurate imitation of Sokka.

She snorted a breath into his collarbone. "Watch it; you're talking to your future wife. I can hit you over the head with a spoon."

He laughed. "Look at us. We're bickering like we're married already."

"I know. I love it."

"Me too."

Eyes still closed, they shared one last deep, thorough kiss before drifting off to sleep. Through the warmth that they lent to each other, and the love that they gave, Katara felt it again.

_Home,_ she smiled, feeling Aang's heartbeat thudding steadily against the smooth skin of his chest. _I'm home._

And the spirits, to abate her fears, couldn't have agreed more.


	20. Proper Humor

((AN: Guys, I want to thank all of you for your awesome reviews on the previous chapter. I'm happy to know that all of you have found it as enjoyable to read as I had to write. There's just something about Aang and Katara and their love that's just so pure and beautiful, you can't help but want to dive into it. ^^

But anyway, this next chapter takes a short break from that, and is just pure randomness unleashed. x3 I had the idea to experiment with my humorous side, and so I started off with Sokka and Aang, and it ended up becoming this whole Abbot and Costello routine. :B Which, by the way, I'm certain should have happened in the inbetween-scenes of the show at least once. I mean, come on, there was ample opportunity for that! xP But then again, I'm sure Mike and Bryan didn't want to make fun of the various Asian names, which is understandable. I like the show just the way it is. So I did the joke myself. :3

Of course, this is all done in good fun, I mean absolutely NO disrespect towards anyone; and I'm sorry if it looks that way. ^^;;

Enjoy this stupid little bit of random crackity-ness. :B))

* * *

Sokka was _bored out of his mind._

He knew it was going to be an incredibly lazy time for most of the group, one day in summer, as they hung around Ba Sing Se's royal palace. But he didn't imagine that he'd be left out of ideas for things to do.

Suki had gone shopping with Katara, and they'd taken Kimiye with them on something of a girl's-day-out. Toph had opted, instead of going as well, to keep an eye on Tenzin. Aang was somewhere in the palace, having been writing reply letters back to various officials some of the morning.

_And where does that leave me?_ The warrior grumped as he idly flicked his boomerang around while walking like he used to do when younger. _Good ol' Sokka, wifeless and childless for the day. Even my own nephew didn't wanna play. Woe is me._

_ Eh, maybe I'll find someone to hang out with._

The guards were out of the question, of course. He'd tried to lighten them up out of their ever-so-serious and stoic moods by unleashing some of his best jokes on them. But, to no avail, as the most he got out of them were eye-rolls or a pretentious sneer. "The 'snowballs' joke always killed 'em back home," he'd snorted and walked off.

So thus, there he was, wandering along the quiet halls and side corridors of the palace where many of King Kuei's advisors had their offices. Not many guards were actually wandering around, and Sokka figured that they had done something sensible for once and had called out of work to enjoy a day in the sun. Ironically, Lake Laogai had become something of a prime vacation spot over the years, for people who didn't have children that wanted to visit the zoo just outside of the inner wall.

He did spot the Avatar himself, however, hunched over a desk in concentration. Every so often his eyes would shift upward or anywhere in the room _but_ the piece of parchment in front of him as he dipped his brush into the ink, and then fell tiredly back to it as he worked his rather neat calligraphy over the page.

"Hey, Aang," Sokka greeted as he replaced his boomerang and slumped near the door.

The Airbender sent his brother-in-law a quick smile, pausing in the writing. "Hey, Sokka. I thought you were with the girls."

"I was," he answered with a shrug. "But, I decided to opt out of their little shopping trip today."

Aang quirked an eyebrow. "Really? You always liked shopping."

"Yeah, but it was mostly when I was with just you and Katara, and not in the company of a whole gaggle of females."

"And the difference is…?"

Sokka let out a light snort. "Don't you know anything about women, Aang?"

The Airbender's eyes rolled upward as he leaned back in the chair. "Well, considering I have a son and another kid on the way…" he grinned devilishly. "I believe I know them well enough."

"Well, actually, that just implies that you know _Kata_—HEY!" he yelled as he covered his ears against Aang's laughter. "I didn't mean it like _that,_ you smart-aleck! Ew!"

"Oh, like you're one to talk," chuckled the Avatar as he wiped a tear of mirth from his eye and leaned back over the desk.

Sokka rolled his eyes again. "You really are like the little brother I never had, Arrowhead."

"Thaaaank you."

There was a quiet pause as Sokka watched Aang continue his writing. "Whatcha doing there, anyway?"

"Writing a letter to Yu," he answered with a disinterested monotone voice.

Sokka blinked. "A letter to me? That's nice, Aang, but I'm standing right here."

The Avatar regarded him with a quizzical glance for a second. "Oh! No, not for _you_ Yu, another Yu."

"Another me? But I'm pretty sure there's only one of me." His eyes darted back and forth. "I think."

"No, no…another guy named Yu."

"…There's another Sokka?"

"No!" Aang sighed. "Okay, I'm gonna start over, Sokka. There's a guy, his _name_ is Yu. That's who the letter's for."

There was a pause as that sank in. "Ohhhh! Yu, like the _name!_" Sokka laughed. "Man, that's confusing. Sorry."

Aang snickered. "It's okay; in hindsight it's pretty funny."

"Yeah," the swordsman shook his head and leaned back against the wall. "What're the letters for?"

"Avatar stuff," the Airbender replied with a sigh. "The king had a few messages from different delegates to give to me, and I'm just replying. Still seems like nothing gets done in the world without me."

"Glad I'm not you, then."

"Glad you're not Yu?"

"No, Aang, glad I'm not the Avatar."

The younger man blinked. "Oh! Right!" He slapped his forehead. "See, you got me doing it."

"What're older brothers for?" Sokka smirked.

"Being annoying idiots?"

"Yep."

"Right," Aang shook his head. "Anyway, there's one more letter to get to after this one, to someone named Hao."

"To who?"

"Hao."

"When?"

"…Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you ask when?"

A pause.

"…Okay, I'm confused again," Sokka admonished, scratching his head.

Aang groaned. "Please tell me you're joking."

His brother-in-law shrugged. "Hey, you never know with me."

"That's true…anyway, it's another name. 'Hao'."

"Oh! I get it!" Sokka laughed. "Sheesh."

"I know," Aang snorted, throwing his hands up. "This could turn into a whole routine."

Sokka grinned thoughtfully. "Hey, yeah…you know how I love comedy routines. I could probably do a whole scene by myself with just my jokes."

"I dunno," the Airbender smirked. "That whole 'snowballs' thing was horrible."

"_You too?_" Sokka practically cried. "MAN! Nobody enjoys good comedy anymore."

"Oh, we enjoy _good_ comedy," Aang replied airily.

"…You're lucky I like you, Aang."

"Aw, thanks," he smirked.

It wasn't too long into their conversation, as the Avatar finally finished the last of his letters, before another couple of presences made themselves known in the doorway of the office.

"Hey, Twinkletoes," Toph waved, as Tenzin darted past her and toward his father. "Got your kid. And hey, Sokka."

"Yo, Toph," the warrior greeted back.

Aang chuckled as his seven-year-old clung to his leg with a sprig of youthful laughter. "Hey, little guy; you didn't give Toph any trouble, did you?"

"Nope!" the boy chirped. "She's pretty fun."

"Heh, good."

"Takes one to know one, kid," Toph stretched and let out a long yawn. "What're you guys doing in here, anyway?"

Sokka answered first. "I'm just hangin' out, and Aang's writing a letter to Yu."

"…To me? He knows I can't read, right?" Toph's eyebrow quirked.

"No, no…it's a guy _named_ Yu. And Hao."

"…And how what?"

"Huh?"

"How what?" Toph repeated with a sign of building annoyance in her voice.

It took a second for Sokka to register what he'd said. "Oh! This again! No…Hao is another guy's name. Hao and Yu are the guys Aang's writing to."

"Ohhh…dang, that's gotta get annoying."

"No kidding," Aang muttered, having heard the whole exchange before ushering Tenzin toward his uncle and getting back to his parchments to sort them out. "Okay, that's Hao, Yu, Gao, Ying…"

"I'm gao-ying alright, thanks," Toph immediately quipped.

There was a pause. Then, Aang's head promptly slammed into the desk as the others broke out into uproarious laughter. "I _swear_, you guys…!"

"Oh, Aang, lighten up!" Sokka snorted and wiped away a tear. "You used to crack jokes all the time!"

"Yeah, but not bad puns!" the Airbender snorted and sagely raised his finger. "We Air Nomads take the telling of jokes and riddles to an _art._"

"Alright, alright, no more puns," Sokka snickered. "We're just having fun with ya. You need to get back to your work."

"Yeah," Aang sighed, suddenly aware of the mood shift. "I gotta admit; the joking was a good distraction."

"Aw, Daddy…" Tenzin whimpered as he tugged on his father's shirt. "You're not gonna play with me?"

The Avatar gave his son a sad smile and leaned his hand down to ruffle his hair. "I can't right now, Tenzin…but I promise I'll be able to soon. Maybe when you and your mom get back, we can all go to the zoo."

The little Airbender's smile widened. "Okay! But…who's gonna play with me now?"

"Not me, I'm all played out," Toph grumbled. "Sorry, Mini-Twinkletoes."

"We can still tell him jokes," Sokka offered with a smirk. "Hey, Tenzin, did you hear the one about the snow—"

"NO!" Toph and Aang both jumped up to stop him.

"Oh come _on,_ this one was _different_ than the snowballs one! You know I wouldn't corrupt the youth!"

"Sokka, Kimiye uttered her first curse a few days ago," Aang bluntly pointed out. "Now I wonder who she must've overheard."

The warrior's eyes widened, and he sputtered. "Gah…that kid knows exactly how to turn up at the worst moments possible…"

"Sneaky as her Kyoshi Warrior mother," Toph grinned.

"What's that about me, now?"

Almost as if the universe had called them upon mention, Suki and Kimiye appeared at the door to the room along with Katara, having returned from their shopping trip. Tenzin immediately ran to playfully tackle his cousin upon seeing her as the adults conversed.

"Nothing much," Toph answered before Sokka could. "He was talking about how your daughter's most like you."

"I always thought so," Suki chuckled.

Katara turned her attention to her husband. "Aang, you finished with those letters yet?"

With a smirk, Sokka cut in before the Airbender could answer. "Nah, he's got a letter to write to Yu first."

"Ah, Minister Han Yu, you mean?" the Waterbender inquired without pause.

"THANK you, Katara!" Aang groaned. "_Finally._"

Sokka's jaw dropped. "Aw, _darn!_ I thought for sure…"

"You forgot how good she is with remembering names," Aang smirked toward the warrior. "Some brother you are."

"At least _I_ can tell jokes."

"Says you."

"…Yu said so too?"

"Hao is that possible?" Toph quipped with a laugh.

Aang's eyes narrowed, and his voice became dangerously level. "Guys, seriously, I'm _this close to…"_

"Oh, don't get your Xu's in a bunch, Aang," Sokka smirked.

Toph shook her head. "Quit doing that, he's Gao-Ying to explode."

"Guys...!"

_"Is someone gonna play with us or not!"_ Tenzin suddenly interrupted the banter with a surprisingly loud tone.

The room went deathly quiet. The children glared upward at each of the cross-eyed adults, impatiently tapping their fingers at the fact that they'd been trying to get their attention for the better part of a minute. Aang, Toph, and Sokka all exchanged glances, and Katara and Suki had shared quizzical expressions regarding their husbands and the Earthbender as they wondered just what the conversation had been about before they arrived.

Then, finally, as the hilarity of the situation hit, Aang and Sokka burst out into laughter, drawing Toph in too.

"Man, I love you guys," the Blind Bandit snorted between giggles. All the while, Katara and Suki just kept staring on in confusion before glancing to each other.

"Why are our husbands so _strange?_" Suki asked her sister-in-law.

"Guess we're just lucky," Katara muttered back, sarcasm barely leaking out of her tone.

But finally, the laughter died and Sokka volunteered to take Tenzin to play while the others drifted apart. "C'mon guys, let's leave Aang to his work. Yu needs to be replied to, and Hao."

Another chorus of laughter followed him out the door, leaving the couple in place staring after them.

Facing the Airbender, whose forehead had violently found its place back on the desk in the ridiculousness of the whole thing, a still-confused Katara quirked an eyebrow. "Um…"

Aang interrupted without moving an inch. "Katara, for the love of sanity, _please_ don't ask."


	21. Nation Past, Family Future

((AN: Heee...I think you guys are gonna like this chapter. Just trust me, you will. x3

As for the idea for the dramatic portion though, I was looking through Avatar Wikia and found something fascinating. The Trading Card Game of Avatar mentions an Airbender named Afiko, who was said to have sided with Sozin and helped him destroy the Air Nomads. I know that the information on the trading cards isn't considered canon, however, but it still makes a bit of sense when one considers the timing of the attacks. The comet lasts a few hours, probably; is it believable that in that span of time, Sozin's army attacked _all_ of the Airbenders and killed them? It had to have been either a tedious process of wiping them out after the first blow, or he had to have had a bit of help.

To exercise the theory but keep respect to canon, I didn't name the traitor Air Nomad in the story as Afiko; I kept the identity vague. It just seems, sadly so, probable to me.

Don't worry, it's not all sad. Just thought I'd write some excuse for fluff as well. ^^ Enjoy, guys, and thanks for the comments on the previous chapter! I'm glad to know I can succeed at preserving some of the humor that the series was known for. :3

MIKE AND BRYAN, DUDES, NOT ME. Woot. x3 ))

* * *

A child's exuberance was infectious. No matter where you went in the world, it was guaranteed that the sight of such carefree innocence rushing about in the streets, laughter on full blast and with energy to spare, brought smiles to the passerby.

It was still true in the magnificent Southern Water Tribe during summer, when the season of Eternal Night set in over the otherwise barren and icy landscape. Hakoda watched from a spot on a hill outside the walls as several children rocketed down the nearby slopes on ice boards or on penguins. He couldn't help but release a loud bark of laughter when he caught sight of young Tenzin at the forefront, using some skillful acrobatics (one suspects those of Airbending) to out-maneuver his friends on his dubious mount. Only his older cousin Kimiye was able to almost match him stride-for-stride down the slopes.

To the chief, he couldn't have imagined having a more spirited grandchild. The boy's musical laughter echoed along the crevices of the mountains and somehow brought warmth to the hearts of all who heard him. At nearly eight years of age, he was growing swiftly, and was an object of pride for the world; most of all the Water Tribe as the son of their greatest-known Waterbender—and of the Avatar besides.

But to his parents and his lone grandparent, he was simply their blood child, someone to love and cherish no matter where they came from.

_And soon enough, the family will get bigger, _the aged warrior thought with a smile, once he heard boots crunching through the snow and coming towards him from his right.

Katara stood next to her father and followed his gaze toward the hill where the children were going for another round of sledding. She comfortably adjusted her coat to allow room for her five-months-pregnant belly, which was larger than usual. "Hey, Dad. You watching your grandson's antics again?"

"When am I not?" Hakoda rumbled a quick laugh. "I don't think I've ever seen the boy get tired once since he got here." Tenzin could be heard laughing again as he rocketed down the icy slopes. "And he loves sledding," the chief added with a grin.

"Like father, like son," Katara snorted with a shake of her head. She knew that Aang would have also been up there with him, if the Council of Elders didn't have to steal him for a lengthy meeting in a few days; which was the reason behind their trip to the Waterbender's homeland in the first place. Of course, she never minded visiting her family again, and _they_ never got tired of taking care of Tenzin and Kimiye.

"Or like mother," Hakoda added a moment later, giving her a gentle smile as he wrapped his arm over his daughter's shoulder. "I know you'd be up there too if you could be, sweetheart."

"Yeah; but soon enough I won't even be able to move around much at all," Katara chuckled, returning his smile as her hand rested on her abdomen. There was a spark of giddiness in her eyes. "I just got back from a checkup with the Healers; they said I'm doing fine, and gave me some good news, besides." She gave her father a smirk. "I don't suppose you've seen my husband around here yet. This is something he _has_ to hear."

Hakoda opened his mouth to answer, but stopped upon glancing toward another figure headed in their direction. "_I_ haven't seen him yet, but I can bet I know someone who _has_." He tilted his head to indicate the newcomer.

Turning to regard him, her eyes widened, as did her smile. "Zuko!"

"Hey," the Fire Lord waved in an almost nonchalant manner, though his warm grin betrayed his habitual look of nobility. His heavy boots crunched deeply through the snow as he approached, and his thick red cloak trailed through the drifts. Despite having traveled through cold weather during much of his life in exile, he never did get used to it.

Katara brought him into a tight hug once he was close enough, then followed it with a light-hearted punch to his shoulder. "What the heck have you been doing, you big jerk? We hardly hear from you anymore."

"Oh, you know…ruling a nation, raising a family, you know how it is," he answered in a dramatically deadpan manner. "I was called here for the meetings as well. And hey, being a full-time jerk is busy enough too. I'm overwhelmed and suffering. You should pity me, Katara."

"Right," she snorted and made an exaggerated bow, making her voice sound as 'fancy' as possible. "_So_ sorry for not treating you the way you _should_ be treated, O Mighty Fire Lord. I don't know _what_ came over me." She feigned swooning. "I don't deserve any more hugs from my _old friend,_ because he has been _so seriously hurt_ by my foolish ways! Oh _woe_ is me!"

"Ooookay, that's enough of that," Zuko muttered indignantly as Hakoda contained his laughter in the background, before he regained his cheerful demeanor and returned her hug. "I've been okay. Mai decided to stay back at the palace to watch Ursa and Kazu, and of course our _new_ daughter." His golden eyes hid a proud sparkle behind them. "Being Fire Lord isn't as full-time a job as being a dad, but it's also not as fulfilling."

"I can imagine," Katara smiled. "You really have a big, happy family now; and I can tell they'll be great for the Fire Nation's future." She drew back, looking down to her extended stomach. "And our family's growing, too."

"I heard," Zuko nodded. "Aang could barely stop talking about it. Are things working well and such?"

"Fine and dandy," Katara stated with a wide grin. "My children are all lucky that their mother's a healer…and that their dad's the Avatar."

"Psh…take it from a great-grandkid of an Avatar," Zuko scoffed playfully, "_Their_ children will consider themselves lucky long into the future."

"And we haven't a leg to stand on either," Hakoda pointed out, pausing from watching his grandson make another run down the hill, "There's talk that there's some of Avatar Kuruk's blood in _our_ family line."

Katara's eyes rolled. "Dad, from the way the legends say it, a quarter of the _world_ is related to Kuruk in some way."

"He was _that_ prolific?" Zuko's good eye widened. "Sheesh!"

"Bah, that's just a legend," Hakoda shook his head. "He ought to have had family and cousins that had kids, after all."

"Anyway," Katara sighed with a light grin on her features. "_Aang's_ the Avatar now, and he has his own mark to make on the world. Speaking of which," she glanced up toward Zuko again, "I've been told that you know where he is?"

The Fire Lord's face fell a little. "Well…sort of…actually, that's what I originally came to find you about, Katara. There's…something's wrong."

Her expression instantly shifted. "…What do you mean?"

"I'll leave you two to talk," Hakoda softly excused himself, sensing a topic coming on that they probably didn't want him to overhear. "I think I hear Tenzin calling me, anyway."

"Alright, Dad," Katara dismissed, having not taken her eyes off of the Fire Nation ruler. "What's going on with Aang?"

Zuko's shoulders slumped. "Well, I talked to him a while ago; he said that he was looking for some clue as to the plight of the Air Nomads during the war…"

"Oh, that's right…" Katara hummed, her gaze drifting to the side. "He told me he found some pieces missing, about the destruction of the Air Nomads that really bugged him. Like the timing. He's been fixated on the subject ever since he started teaching Tenzin about his culture."

"Exactly; I've wondered about that too, but he said his records from the temples haven't come up with answers. So I was sifting through the Dragon Bone Catacombs back home and found some of Sozin's notes." The Firebender paused there, drawing in a long sigh. "And they're…not very pretty."

Katara narrowed her eyes in concern. "_How_ not pretty?"

Zuko hung his head low, as if in shame, and spoke in a soft voice. "Heart-wrenchingly not pretty. _I_ could barely read through the whole thing. But Aang insisted…he told me that he _had_ to know. So, I showed him the scroll. He read it…and…I can't even _begin_ to describe how he looked, Katara. It was like death crossed in front of his face, literally."

He looked up into her eyes again, and she looked distraught at the news. "Then he just…dropped the scroll and ran off, excusing himself. I haven't seen him since," he finished.

The Waterbender dipped her head in thought, biting at her lip. _I was afraid of this…Aang always looks so lost when he talks about his people._

After a moment, she regarded the Fire Lord. "…Can I see the scroll? I want to know what's hurting him so much before I go find him."

He tilted his head, reaching for the parchment in his robes. "Are you sure? It's pretty hard to take."

"Let me see," she insisted, holding her hand out. "Please."

With a defeated sigh, he handed the Waterbender the scroll, and watched as she took in the writing on the page. With each skim of the words and the finish of each paragraph, her expression changed slowly into shock and sadness. Her hand came up to cover her mouth at the sheer thought of the pain that Aang had to have had wrenching through his heart upon reading it.

It was a familiar story, of a betrayal and the start of a war. She found herself involuntarily clenching her fingers as they held on to the scroll, sickened until the end.

Zuko simply stood by, reliving the weight of shame that his nation and his ancestors still carried for their senseless crimes, before she finished reading and gave it back to him.

"I know where he is," Katara whispered with sad determination. "I'm going to find him."

"I was hoping you would," Zuko nodded. "If there's _anyone_ in this whole world that can bring our Avatar out of this shock, it's only you."

"Thanks," the pregnant Waterbender admonished before making her way to where she knew her soul mate would be holding himself.

* * *

The Avatar sat quietly by himself, his hands gripping the banister tightly to hold him in place. The highest point of the central tower of the village, built out of snow and ice, kept him in silent isolation where he could be close to the sky and the element of his birth.

But even at such a height, he felt burdened and weighed down; all of a sudden, he no longer felt the Airbender's spirit within him. Still so deep in shock that he _had_ to hold on for his life, for if he fell, he would not have caught himself.

He couldn't hear the door to the staircase under the floor open behind him, or feel a concerned pair of eyes fall onto his back.

Katara had ascended the stairs of the tower slowly, hoping with all of her being that she was right. She always knew where to find Aang in his most depressing times; it only served to strengthen the argument that they were truly connected to each other.

She watched her husband for a moment or two as he continued sitting straight and stiff, for all the world a statue. He could have been meditating…but for the shudder that crawled across his body and the quiet, shaky sobs that broke the enveloping silence.

So thus, it came as a surprise to the Waterbender when a touch of her hand on his shoulder caused him to violently tense; she'd startled him. _He's never startled, even when he's concentrating. This is…oh, Spirits…_

"Aang…are you okay?" she softly asked, her hand still resting on his shoulder. It was a rhetorical question, to be sure; but one that had to be asked nonetheless. She _had_ to hear something from him.

She paused, took a breath, and closed her eyes as she spoke again. "Zuko told me what happened. He showed me the scroll."

He didn't answer…but neither did he shrug away from her touch. He lifted his head to glance at her, and then swiftly turned it away. She'd gotten just enough of a look at his face to see his cheeks gleaming wet with tears. He didn't want her to see him that way…but a part of him knew that it couldn't be helped. Wherever he retreated, she would always come looking. Water could follow air, easily.

Katara's heart ached for him. Even through a marriage and a child, the dynamics of their relationship never ceased in the slightest; without her, he would have quickly come to be like this every day. A shell of a human being, unable to be what he truly was. And she couldn't bear to leave his side when he was like that.

He shivered when she drew closer, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace from behind and laying her head against his own. No other response. Just his irregular breathing and tightly-held-back cries of anguish.

It hurt her, whenever he retreated into his emotions and couldn't return her comfort. Still she persisted, keeping him protected in her arms as she'd always done; from the first day until then, and still forever more. Tears were brimming in her own eyelids.

"Aang…" she whispered into his neck, pleading. "Talk to me. Please, talk to me."

It was the catch in her voice that briefly brought him back to the surface, out of drowning in his turbulent sadness. Katara was the person that he cared for more than anything, even his own troubles; if she was so worried…if she was in turmoil, because of him…then he could be there as best as he could, too.

He felt her burying her cheek against the crook of his shoulder. This time, he responded, and raised his hands to clutch hers and hold them to his heart. Even through the cloth of her mittens, they felt so warm in his pale, shaking fingers.

Aang's eyes opened and he swallowed once to fix the rawness of his voice. "We were betrayed…" he croaked. "Th-the Air Nomads…my people…betrayed. By one of our own."

"I know," Katara soothed, lending him her strength. "I don't know what to say, Aang. It's horrible."

He took in a shaky breath. "I don't want to believe it. I wanted to believe that there was a measure of _hope, _all this time. How could they have found our hidden temples? How could they have _known_ when we all would gather?" He exhaled hard, the tears streaming down his face. "He was one of _us._ A _monk._ And he led Sozin's army to the Southern Air Temple, and hunted down the rest. H…how could…how…_why?_"

Katara knew what he was asking, even when his words failed him. _Why_ would someone betray their own Nation? _How_ could they do that, to their homes and families? To abandon the nonviolent teachings of old and lead destruction and death to the doorsteps of a peaceful culture? She tried hard to see it from his side…if anyone would have sold out the Water Tribes to the attacking Fire Nation…oh, she couldn't even _fathom_ it. This unthinkable thing had happened to Aang's own people, and now there lying before him was a part of the reason.

Finally, he turned to face her, his face flushed and eyes wide and dry of tears. His face wasn't that of the Avatar, but of a man broken and desperate for answers.

She gently wiped the moisture from his face and pulled him from the banister into her embrace once more. The warmth urged him to keep speaking, and just let out the pain.

"I knew him too…he was one of the lower-ranked monks at the Southern Air Temple. He was always a bit crass, but I never thought that he'd be the type to…just…_turn_ _against_ us."

Katara let out a soft sigh, keeping up her feverish hold on him. "Some people are just like that. Among every nation, there will be evil as well as good; or those unbalanced and easily swayed. You know this…we've all seen it."

"But…" he sniffed, pulling away to look at her. "It's just hard to believe that among the peaceful, life-loving people and the ways that we were raised…that someone like that would be there. And in my own home."

"It is," she agreed. "But, it's still not impossible, Aang. I don't know…maybe there was something wrong with him. That he was never in a right state of mind, and easily brought in by promise of power. In the end…he ended up paying the price for his mistake, anyway."

Aang nodded, his voice level. "Sozin executed him later. He _must_ have been foolish…to trust that tyrant in the first place."

Katara watched her husband with concern. There was something in his voice that he rarely showed, if ever. A tinge of darkness, when referring to the traitor from his own people.

The Airbender seemed to catch the question in her gaze, and he softened. "You know what's upsetting me so much about all of this? It's not just the fact that one of my people went out of their way to help Sozin completely wipe everyone out…it's the fact that I can't help thinking he _deserved_ his sentence. I forgave the Fire Nation for their crime…but…I'm finding it _so_ difficult to try forgetting and forgiving this monk. Someone who was brought up with the secrets of life enlightenment and peace and happiness, and _chose_ to throw them away and help to bring death on everyone he knew…to _willingly_ throw away his vows and spurn his spiritual rights…someone like that was fated for nothing more than a painful death. It's what my mind keeps telling me, and Spirits help me, I _agree._" He closed his eyes in shame. "It scares me."

"Oh…Aang…" Katara sniffed, pulling him against her again. He leaned into her touch, finding support and strength. "I know exactly how you feel, you know. It was only a matter of time before you found something on a personal level that you could never forgive. But, you _can_ at least accept it, and move on. That was then, and this is now."

"I know," he admonished, and she felt him nodding. "I'm breaking my promise not to dwell on the past. But I can't help it, especially now that I know this." He pulled back and held his wife at arm's length, looking hard into her eyes. "Katara…tell me the truth. Am I foolish, believing in what I do?"

She regarded him with shock. "Aang…!"

"I'm serious," he said, glancing away. "I'm teaching Tenzin my ways, but in essence, I'm the only one left who still takes them seriously. When everyone else, even my past lives, wanted me to kill to bring peace, I couldn't. I almost lost the fight because I couldn't strike back against Ozai. There are _so _many people who think that I should have completely rid the world of my enemies. 'Aang the foolish,' they call me. And sometimes I have to wonder if they're right…"

"Shut up."

Katara's stern demand stopped him cold. He met her eyes again, and they bore into him with a ferocious determination. She was literally shaking in vehement disagreement with his every word.

She took his chin in her hand and _forced_ him to look at her. "You shut up, and you listen to me, Aang. You have _absolutely no right_ to call yourself foolish for your actions, and nor do you have the right to even _think_ about listening to what other people tell you that you should believe. What you did to end the war _was_ the right thing."

"And how do you know that?" he quietly challenged.

Her grip on him loosened, but her look didn't falter. "Because _you_ did it."

Unable to grasp what she meant, he simply stared back. She breathed in a calm stream of cold air and sorted her thoughts to explain. "They call you 'Aang the Foolish' in some places, yes…but do you happen to know what they call you in most of the Fire Nation, because of what you did?"

He answered with a shrug.

Katara smiled, and cupped his cheek with the hand that she had been gripping him with. "They call you 'Aang the Merciful'…in fact, I hear it a lot, and it's a title that's catching on in the rest of the world with the new generation. There are _so_ many people in this world that hold you in complete awe, because you're probably the only Avatar in history to have fought a war without taking a _single_ life. You ended a tyrant's reign without ending _him_. You help rebuild the Fire Nation instead of regarding them with spite. You tried your hardest not to really hurt your enemies, and you even showed Zuko mercy even after he could have given you over to his father to be killed. And your deeds have affected so many people, and made them believe that it's possible to achieve great things without having to throw your power around. That a war _can_ be won through mercy and love, and without a single drop of hate.

"And that's why you're not foolish. You hang on to beliefs that the rest of the world abandoned long ago, and you gave them new, better ways to think on their actions. You are the most powerful man in the world, and still you present yourself as a humble, simple person; a husband and a father, and an Air Nomad…nothing more, nothing less. You aren't feared as an Avatar, but respected as a keeper of balance. Your heart holds everlasting kindness. That's how _I_ know you, and that's how the world will know you. You're not the only one who believes in a life led through peace and joy anymore.

"And Aang," Katara finished in a whisper, pressing her forehead to his. "It's how you are, and it's how you should stay. No, you're not foolish. You're _you,_ and that's all that's needed."

When he took in the resounding truth of all of her words, each one strengthening his heart and spirit a hundredfold, his tears returned and cascaded down his cheeks with no will to hold them back. He felt uplifted again, and once more, he couldn't feel more thankful for the woman in front of him. _She still saves me,_ he thought in complete reverence as he pulled her tightly against him and just clutched her for all it was worth.

And she held him back just as forcefully, relieved, for his happiness meant more to her than even her life.

When he drew back again, he wiped his tears away and frowned. "Still…it'll take a while to accept what happened," he admitted.

"I know," his soul mate nodded with understanding. "But when it comes back to you, just remember that it's in the past and over, and nothing can be done now but to look to the future." She grinned, meeting those dark and soulful eyes. "You're what remains of your culture and their beliefs…and therefore, you're their founder. From now on, every Airbender will remember _your_ teachings and uphold them. You aren't the _last_ Air Nomad anymore, my love. You're the _first._"

At the thought, Aang smiled and let out a chuckle. "Well, I promise that I can _try_ to be so influential. Foolish as I can be," he grinned.

"Psh…you're still _my_ fool, at least," Katara laughed along with him and took his hand, placing it on her coat over her pregnant girth. "No better father of a Nation, either."

"And you, no better mother," Aang insisted, caressing the surface slowly with a loving smile.

Katara giggled, a twinkle coming to her eyes. "Anyway, I got something to tell you that's _guaranteed_ to cheer you up and make you forget all about this."

He blinked up at her, incredulousness crossing his expression. "Oh?"

"In fact, I'd stake my life on it."

Aang laughed. "I wouldn't want you to stake your life on anything…but, you do have me curious now."

The smile she had was a wide one, one of those mysterious smiles that just screamed of someone knowing something that nobody else did. "I went to the healer for a checkup today. The baby's doing very well. All three of them are."

"That's wonderful, Katara," Aang started with a loving smile, embracing her. "I'm glad to—wait."

He froze. "Waaaaait a minute…" Slowly, he pulled away and fixed her with his stare. "Come again?"

Her giddy expression intensified. "You heard me, Aang. All three. We're having triplets."

If it were possible, his eyes grew wider than anytime she'd ever seen them. "Tr…wh…oh…oh, my…" He took a hold of her shoulders, grinning like mad. "Say that again. One more time, say it again," he pleaded, desperate to confirm what he'd just heard.

Katara let out a giggle and came closer, placing a kiss on his lips.

"We're…"

Another kiss. "Having…"

A third. _"Triplets."_

A streak of crimson painted Aang's cheeks as he looked into Katara's loving ocean-blue eyes, his heart racing. And as per her guarantee, his thoughts were wiped of everything but this wondrous, glorious news.

And suddenly, she found herself swept into his arms. He held her tight to him as his lips fell to hers—passionate, long, and deep—and stole away her breath.

He broke away just as swiftly after a moment and laughed, still holding her tightly. "Katara, I…wow! By the Spirits, I love you."

Entranced by his bouncy reaction, she couldn't help but laugh herself, nestling into his warmth and clutching him tight. "And I love _you_."

They kept up their laughter together for just a second longer before Aang let her go, rushing to the banister and looking down. "I gotta…wow, I gotta just _fly _after hearing this."

His wife chuckled in agreement. "Well, considering you've been cooped away from him all day, you _could_ probably find your son and tell him that he's gonna be a big brother to triplets."

"Perfect!" He grinned and snatched his staff. Flipping the wings open, he leaped straight from the top of the tower with an exultant "WOO!"

Watching him fly with the expertise and mastery that he contained, his spirit renewed, Katara laughed long and hard until her sides ached. Then, she smiled proudly to herself.

_Looks like I keep my life…and hopefully, Aang will stay himself._

Certainly, Aang would always keep remembering the lesson that was lifted into him that night; and for certain, the wind felt stronger with the spirits of a proud past nation of Nomads watching over him.


	22. Picnic

((AN: First of all, AWWWW YOU GUUUUUUYS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I'm really humbled here for all of the positive words on the last chapter. I'm so happy that people love this collection as much as I love writing it, and I hardly know what to say, except that you all are awesome and you very much encourage and inspire me to keep up my writing, all for the love of the show, the ship, and the fans. ^^ Thanks for everyone who faved and subscribed as well, it means quite a lot, especially from people whom I recognize as great writers in their own right and whose stories I adore just as much. I dunno what to say, except, wow. ~^^~

And now, for this next installment. x3

Okay...so I finally caved in...it actually does seem feasible that Katara and Aang would have more than one kid...they'd just be such natural, happy parents (though I will accept whatever they come up with in Korra)...and also, creating my own Cloudbabies is actually quite fun to do, darnit. x3 This story jumps further along in the time line than all the others. Tenzin's 11 and his triplet siblings are all 4...which would put Aang at about 31 here now. I probably won't write too many stories this far along, as I don't really like to write my favorite pair as -too- far along in age yet. x3

Also, I looked up a new Air Nomad name for one of the kids through a Dharma/Tibetan listing. Khandro kinda means "angel", I imagine he'd look like one, as the only sibling with blue eyes. x3 Also, Tenzin means something like "keeper of knowledge"...rather appropriate, considering his future role. :B As for Tamoka, 'tis easy to just keep to the "k and a" tradition of Water Tribe naming. Finally, just take a wild guess at what they'd most likely name their first daughter. :B

Also, each of the three have something that differs them from the others, just something interesting I threw in: Only Khandro has blue eyes; only Tamoka is a Waterbender; only Kya is a girl.

I was kinda laid-back with the writing here...not much of a specific theme, just family togetherness and happiness. And I just love writing children. x3

Enjoy! And Mike and Bryan are awesome for creating THIS series and for the new one as well. :3 ))

* * *

There were times it felt strange to Katara, thinking on how she had adapted easily to each and every stage of her life.

The first stage, she was just a carefree child. The next started upon her mother's death, when she became a matron of a tribe in nearly all senses of the word. Upon meeting the Avatar, she became a healer, warrior, and traveler. After peace was achieved, she was something of a diplomat and world-renowned Master Waterbender besides.

And long into that peace, finally, she was a happily-married mother.

Thinking on that last stage, as she looked up from her task of preparing lunch and caressed her abdomen where her latest child was four months along and growing, a warm smile crossed her face. _From a warrior to a family woman. And I can't possibly be happier. I guess that's my reward for what I had to endure._

She remembered once, a prediction she'd made to Aang; or rather, a wish spoken out loud. _We'll have lots of children._

"Mommy?" A soft, musical voice suddenly chimed from the doorway.

Katara had to keep herself from giggling at the loving mirth in her heart from hearing one of her children calling her. _Every time I hear that, certainly, I think I've been blessed._

Glancing behind, the Waterbender beheld one of her triplets staring up at her with two very familiar, wide gray-tinged eyes. She'd had three quite healthy children, to the eternal gratitude of the Spirits: two sons and one daughter; and moreover, two Airbenders and one Waterbender (perhaps as a consequence of giving birth quite close to the change in season from autumn to winter). At four years of age, all were a handful, but both Aang and Tenzin had been quite the help in rearing their growing family.

Before her at that moment was their little daughter, Kya, named for the grandmother that she never knew but whom Katara would never forget. Except for having Aang's eyes and a skin tone only slightly lighter than hers, the child was the spitting image of her mother. Her hair was even the same shade of brown with only slight black undertones, and had the same sort of thickness; it wouldn't be too long before it would be long enough to braid (or put in hair loopies, Aang liked to joke).

Kya was also an Airbender…but that never mattered to Katara. She had a daughter of her own to love and teach, and that was more than enough.

The Waterbender paused and gave her small girl a welcoming smile. "Hey, sweetie; I'm almost done with lunch." She glanced through the door, expecting to see her two brothers trailing behind, only to be slightly surprised when they weren't present. "Did you come here by yourself?"

The child nodded, trotting through the kitchen and leaning against the cabinets next to her in a bit of an annoyed huff. "I'm kinda bored. Nobody wants to play with me."

"Really?" Katara's head tilted in slight concern. "You're usually always with your brothers."

"Yeah, but today, dumb Tamoka said that I can't play with him and Khandro because I'm a girl." Kya slumped. "He doesn't think I can rough-house with them."

"Oh, did he?" her mother hummed, unsurprised. _I swear that boy has somehow inherited Sokka's mindset._ "What about Tenzin?"

Kya shook her head. "Him and Daddy are off flying and doing more Airbending stuff." She looked up at her mother with pleading eyes and a light smile. "So I'm all by my alone-some."

Katara chuckled and bent down to pick up her daughter. "I think you mean 'lonesome', Kya."

"That's what I said," the child insisted with a giggle.

"Oh, I must've heard wrong," the Waterbender snorted and tickled the child's ribs, causing her to scrunch up and laugh along with her. "Anyway, if the boys won't keep you company for a while, then _I_ will."

"Mmkay, Mommy," Kya admonished, turning her nose up. "Tamoka and Khandro can play by themselves _all_ day then, and they'll miss me and come looking for me."

Katara chuckled and shook her head. "Don't be so annoyed, sweetie. Boys sometimes just want to play by themselves; it doesn't mean that they won't stop wanting to play with you. Your uncle Sokka and I went through the same thing when we were kids."

The girl leaned against her mother's shoulder and giggled. "Really?"

"Oh yes," the Waterbender smirked, remembering better days in her youth. "Some of the fights we'd get into would turn out pretty harsh, too. But still, I cared about my brother, and he cared about me. I know your brothers never mean anything when they tease you."

Kya nodded in slight agreement. "They tease me a lot, especially Tamoka. Khandro's nicer though, and so's Ten-ten."

Katara grinned; it was cute, how she referred to her older brother. Tenzin himself certainly enjoyed being looked up to so well. "I'm glad. And don't you worry about Tamoka. He'll try to tease _you_ about being a girl, but he forgets that since he's a Waterbender, he has to deal with _me _teaching him," she winked.

The girl got a sneaky look in her eyes and snickered loudly behind her hands. "'Moka's in _trouble…_"

"Well, you don't tease girls around your Master Waterbender mother," Katara grinned with pride. "Even your dad's a little afraid of me, and he's the Avatar."

"_Daddy?_ Nuh-uh!" Kya laughed.

"It's true," the mother smirked.

Kya continued her giggling as she was placed on the floor again, so that the smug parent could finish packaging up the lunches. "Sometimes I wish I was a Waterbender too," the little one sighed. "I like being an Airbender, but I also like to watch you make water move around and stuff, and it's pretty."

Katara smiled and reached down to run her fingers through her daughter's hair. "I know the feeling, sweetie. But you should still be happy with who you are…you'll be able to do lots of great things as an Airbender. And you can still learn about the Water Tribe, too, if you want. After all, they're a part of you."

The child nodded. "I like learning about them."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Katara, and a soft smile spread over her features. "I think I have just the thing to help you connect with them, too." She took Kya's hand in her own. "Come with me."

Curious, she followed her mother through the hall and up into the portion of the Southern Air Temple's quarters set up as a sitting room. High on a shelf over the hearth, Katara reached for an ornate box decorated in various shades of blue. Kya's eyes followed the veritable treasure chest as the two of them sat on the couch.

"I've had this since I was a little girl," the Waterbender began as she opened the box and took out the trinket within. "It belonged once to your Great-Gran-Gran, and then later to _my_ mother."

Kya's eyes widened at the sight. A necklace with a pendant, much like the one Katara was wearing already…but the jewel on this one had the Water Tribe insignia carved into the front and hung from a simple deep blue strip of fabric. The jewel looked aged, but still twinkled and shone at just the right angles into the light.

"Ooh, it's _so_ pretty," the little girl chirped, leaning out to touch the pendant.

Katara nodded. "And it's yours now."

Kya gasped. "Really? Me?"

"Yep," the Waterbender smiled warmly and leaned over to tie it around her daughter's neck, just tightly enough to fit her. "It's a Water Tribe heirloom—first made by my old Master, in fact—that I'd wanted to give to my own little girl someday. I hope that you keep it and treasure it just as I did."

Kya drew back once Katara was finished, and ran her fingers admiringly over the pendant hanging over her neck before diving into her mother's arms in a fierce hug. "I will, Mommy! Thank you!"

Katara held the girl tightly, feeling just as euphoric as she did. She'd dreamed long ago of the moment, with many different ways, that she would continue on the tradition of passing down one of her greatest treasures to her first daughter. Now in that moment, with a little Airbender that was no less than hers and Aang's pride and joy, the mother felt truly deserving of the gifts given to her after the war's end.

_I wonder what you'd say if you were alive to see your grandchildren, Mom,_ she briefly thought, feeling a welling in her heart. _You would love them._

"You're very welcome, my little sweetheart," Katara returned with a smile and stood up with the child in her arms again. "Now, come on, you can help me. Let's bring lunch outside to the boys, and you can show them your new present."

"Okay," Kya grinned back, and together the mother and daughter trekked back through the Temple and made plans for the rest of the day.

* * *

Outside of the polished temple walls and all over the courtyard, it was the kind of warm spring day that would be taken advantage of by all facets of nature. Several kinds of newly-blooming fruit trees hung with tenacity in the sparse soil-ridden cracks of the mountain, and the wind graced all around it with flowering scents. Lush green vines writhed and journeyed ever-so-slowly to overtake any pieces of the walls they could find, and the air was filled with the chattering calls of lemurs. Creatures small and smart enough to have hidden away in the light of dangers past, and now a small colony of them had returned in time to call the Avatar's abode their own; most of them descendants of old Momo.

Several of those lemurs dashed and flapped around the walls of the training grounds where they were being chased. Once Airbending lessons were over, an 11-year-old Tenzin spent the beginning of the afternoon running around with his siblings, who at the moment consisted of two young brothers: Tamoka, a headstrong silver-eyed Waterbender with a skin tone leading most toward Katara's and deep black hair much like Tenzin's and Aang's (on the rare occasions that the Avatar ever _had _hair), and Khandro, a timid, spirited little Airbender with the same hair, but Katara's deep blue eyes and Aang's pale skin tone.

Meanwhile, the Avatar rested just nearby in the shady branches of a tree. He chuckled to himself as he watched his sons trying and failing to catch the slippery creatures in their games of just running around in jubilation. _I'm getting old. Did I EVER have that much energy when I was four?_

_ …Well, even if I get so old that I can no longer walk, I'll be proud of them all, _Aang confirmed with a soft smile on his face. _My kids._

"Whaddya know, my favorite boys all gathered in one place; am I lucky, or what?"

The smile widened as he heard his beloved wife, whose voice could still bring a flutter to his heart. _OUR kids,_ he corrected.

Watching from the branches of the tree, he saw Katara walk down into the grassy knoll next to the training ground hand-in-hand with a bright-eyed Kya and a picnic basket gripped in the other hand. Their sons immediately ceased their chasing and chorused a loud "Hi Mom!" while rushing to her.

Katara laughed as she put the basket down to hug them. As if on cue, Aang sent his wife a playful grin as he jumped down from the tree. "And do you happen to have a _favorite_-favorite boy?" he retorted.

"Oh come now, Aang, you know I don't play favorites!" she smirked back. "But being my husband, you're right up there."

"I'd hope so," he laughed, helping her up again and pulling her into a soft kiss—which was cut short by a loud admonition of "EWWWW!" from the children.

The parents broke away with an amused roll of their eyes. "Anyway, Kya and I had the idea of having lunch outside today, since it's too nice to stay inside."

"It _is_ too nice," Tenzin agreed as he put his glider staff aside to help set up the picnic. "You should come flying with us later, Mom."

Katara laughed. "Thanks, but my feet are happy on the ground."

"Tsk," Aang snickered, quirking an eyebrow. "Don't pretend you don't love it. The sky, the clouds, the rush…"

"—The nausea I get when a certain someone does those fancy loops?" Katara cut in, grinning.

"Yes, that too!" Aang smugly retorted.

With another laugh and a playful flick on her husband's head, the Waterbender soon had the food laid out in front of them for the family to enjoy.

Kya bounded excitedly over to her father as they settled in. "Daddy, look; Mommy gave me a present!"

"Did she?" Aang chuckled, blinking curiously as he scooped her up. "What is it?"

Grinning, the girl proudly displayed the necklace adorning her neck; which Aang recognized, to his surprise. "Now that looks familiar," he smiled, sharing a brief knowing glance with Katara.

"Yeah, doesn't it look pretty?" Kya beamed. "I'm gonna keep it forever!"

"Who knows, maybe you'll have a daughter to give it to someday," Katara hummed.

"When she's sixty," Aang muttered.

At that, his wife raised an eyebrow. "Oh what, are _you_ gonna play 'protective dad' now?"

"Just following tradition," the Airbender snickered before returning his gaze to Kya. "But it _does_ look pretty on you, Peach-face," he smiled and tickled her nose.

As the brothers watched this exchange, Tamoka tilted his head. "Why does _she_ get a present? Do we get anything?"

Katara sighed, pausing in her meal. "First of all, son, that's rude. Kya got my necklace because it's her right. And second; _you_ would be getting extra Waterbending drills for picking on your sister."

"What?" the boy sputtered. "I-I never picked on her!"

"Tamoka," Aang cut in, crossing his arms. "What did I tell you about lying?"

"Wh…" the little Waterbender's face turned red. "I'm not!"

"C'mon, 'Moka," Tenzin warned. "Remember, Dad's the Avatar. You _can't_ lie to him."

"Yeah," Khandro piped up in agreement, widening his eyes. "You can't lie. He _knows._"

Aang snickered quietly. His children knew of the lie-detecting abilities courtesy of Toph's Earthbending instruction, but they never turned down the opportunity to wax dramatic on his Avatar powers to everyone.

At getting caught, Tamoka dejectedly sighed and dropped his gaze, saying nothing. _Stubborn boy,_ Aang thought. _But he'll apologize on his own time, I think._

To lighten the moment, Katara lightly rested her palm on his head. "You'll need that practice anyway, little guy. I had to get in a _lot_ of extra training when I was learning Waterbending."

"I kinda hate being the only Waterbender, though," Tamoka admitted in a mutter. "I'm left out of the fun with you guys."

"And I hate being the only girl sometimes," Kya said in an agreeable manner. "I _like_ being able to play with my brothers."

"You _are _pretty fast at Air Tag," Khandro smiled.

"No kidding," Tenzin laughed. "You're even faster than _me._"

"That's our girl," Aang said with a grin towards his wife and hugged his widely-smiling daughter. "Always beating the odds."

"That's _all_ of our kids," Katara corrected, returning his expression as she placed a hand on her abdomen. "I bet this one will, too."

Her husband tilted his head with a loving smile and placed his hand beside hers, feeling the growing bump for signs of life. "Is it doing okay, by the way?"

She nodded as she sat up and returned to her meal. "Very normal and healthy so far. I _have_ been getting some funny cravings though."

"I'll say," Aang smirked, pointing to her plate. "Papaya fruit salad? You _hate_ papaya."

Katara shrugged, looking indignant. "Yeah, well, I can't help it if the baby doesn't, you know. I once ate nothing but seal meat for a day when I was carrying Tenzin." She grinned. "Poor Sokka never did find out where his stash went to."

"Sea prunes are better," the boy in question cut in matter-of-factly.

Instantly, two of his siblings cringed. "Ew!" admonished Tamoka.

Aang barked a laugh. "Finally, kids with some of _my_ tastes."

It was Khandro who raised a hand in dispute. "_I_ like sea prunes!"

"You're a freak," Tamoka snorted.

"I am not!" his brother gasped.

"Are too!"

"Am _not!_"

"Okay, that's enough," Katara sternly interrupted and separated the two boys by lightly gripping their collars. "No fighting. And Tamoka, you don't call anyone names."

Aang shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "It's the whole Jin Wei and Wei Jin thing all over again. Maybe these two will bring rise to two feuding factions of Airbenders and Waterbenders."

"That'd be funny," Katara snickered. "But…I thought you made that story up."

Aang shrugged, grinning. "Well, you don't really know…it _could've_ happened like that."

The mother bemusedly rolled her eyes and the family finished their lunch in the shade of the tree and in the presence of the cool wind, every so often shooing away a few overly-curious lemurs, and simply basked in the mirth of just being together.

Between the minutes, Katara shared a secret glance with Aang that told him with no words how happy she was in those peaceful, heavenly moments without worries or fears or nightmares…and the look he returned, the gleam in his eyes and his loving smile, with the slightest tinge of pink on his pale cheeks…it told her that he shared her bliss, more than she ever knew. In his temple home, surrounded by their children and the love of his life, he was well and truly _content. _There were times in the past that the Airbender wondered if he would ever feel the fleeting luxury of contentment.

And they both knew one thing for sure; they had simply earned it.

After a moment, a curious Khandro peered at the bump on his mother's abdomen where his new sibling was growing. "So that's where babies come from?"

As Aang tried to suppress a grin (and Tenzin muttered a humorous "This oughta be good"), Katara kept an easily calm demeanor and nodded with a smile. "Yep. They grow in the mother's belly until they're ready to be born, just like all of you were."

Kya tilted her head. "But, how does a baby grow there in the first place? You don't have to eat it, do you?"

Aang spat out a loud snicker beside her, earning him a glare from his wife as she cleared her throat in preparation for an answer. "No, sweetie…I'll tell you later."

"But you _always_ say that…" Tamoka snorted beneath his breath, but soon enough the matter was dropped (to the parents' shared relief).

Before long, lunch was finished, and the Master Waterbender stood up and stretched. "Alright then," she said with a smile toward Aang, "If you don't mind, I think I'll steal Tamoka away for his drills."

"Aw, man…" the youngster could be heard groaning somewhere in the background.

Her husband chuckled in agreement and nodded back. "Go ahead; I think I'll teach the rest of our little army here how to _really_ play Airball."

Katara snickered. "Don't let 'em beat you _too _badly."

"Oh, _that'll_ be the day," Aang retorted with a smirk before pulling her in for a kiss. "We'll find you guys later."

"If we don't find you first," she replied, returning his kiss, before turning to take her son's hand in hers.

But before they could start off, Tamoka tugged away. "Just a second," he said in a low tone before walking back toward his sister, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

Kya's head tilted in regard to him, and the parents watched the exchange between the siblings. Tamoka bowed to his sister and muttered a quiet apology for his earlier attitude, which earned him a hug from her and the rest of his family.

Katara smiled; whether the triplets' differences grew along with them, they were still as inseparable as ever. Soon enough, her son rejoined her with renewed vigor and a new anticipation for his Waterbending lessons.

Aang watched them leave before turning back to his small entourage of Airbenders with a wide grin. "Alright, who's gonna be on whose team?"

"I wanna be on _yours_ this time, Daddy," Khandro whined. "Tenzin doesn't pass me the ball."

"That's because you keep beaming _me_ instead of the goal with it," his older brother said, crossing his arms.

"I like the idea…then _I'll_ play with Ten-ten!" Kya grinned, making sure her new necklace was secured tightly so she wouldn't lose it while playing. "And Daddy, no cheating with Earthbending again!"

"Sounds fair, two-on-two…and I promise, Sweetheart," Aang grinned as he ushered his children to the playing field.

They ran ahead of him as they approached, their laughter echoing off of the mountain passes and being carried off by the wind.

As he listened to the musical tone of their endless jubilation, the Avatar smiled. Several of his past lives knew the joy of watching their children playing and living each moment to the fullest…but he wondered if the Avatar Spirit still found it a new joy each time it had to live through it, whether as a mother or a father.

Aang once thought he knew what he was destined for. But at this stage in his life, he knew that he was _definitely _where he needed to be, whether he expected it or not.


	23. Fears

((AN: Heh, it's been a little longer since I did an update for this collection. x3 I certainly hope my muse isn't getting tired.

Anyway, this one jumps back in the timeline to when Tenzin was younger. Heh, young kids are so fun to write for. Small bit of trivia, when doing the shadow spirits bit (makes me wonder what exactly would stand in for boogeymen in the Avatar world :B ), I was reminded of the scenes in the Miyazaki movie "My Neighbor Totoro" regarding the soot sprites. Yes, even the part about laughter scaring spirits was inspired by the discussion in the movie. I easily believe that our favorite parents like to get rid of their childrens' night fears by joking around, don't you? :B

Also, Tenzin's little rattling off originally didn't have any spaces between the words, to make it funnier, but for some odd reason this document manager cut off a bunch of the words in the middle. :/ So, don't be surprised at the lack of punctuation there. He actually -is- talking that fast. xP

Enjoy! All and sundry here belong to Mike and Bryan, not I.))

* * *

Katara shot up from the bed with a jolt, upon hearing something akin to an explosion pound through her ears and seem to shake the very earth.

Heart racing, breaths coming harsh out of her mouth, her eyes darted frantically around the darkness; focusing forward until she recognized the familiar patterns of the room. It was then, after a few seconds of letting her adrenaline calm, did she remember where she was.

She ran her shaking fingers through her hair as she let out a sigh. _That's right…our room at our mansion in the Fire Nation._

Another explosive sound rattled the window, and her head swerved to meet the sight of the pitch-black night. A flash of light had preceded the noise, and afterward there was the comparably peaceful patter of rain against the glass.

_And there's a storm tonight. Great._

Katara closed her eyes again, though she remained sitting up, and simply listened to the rain outside. Storms never used to bother her; especially because she was a Waterbender. A part of her spirit was in tune with the workings of nature…rain was natural, and soothing to the earth. Thunder was natural, merely the sound accompanying the static heat of cloud friction. (_Sokka and his science,_ she bemusedly shook her head).

Lightning too was natural.

_That,_ however, was a hard notion to pass. In the hands of a Firebender, it was a precise and deadly weapon. When Nature used it, it struck randomly but without pity for whomever or whatever it struck. When Firebenders used it, as she'd heard Iroh stressing before, it should only be a last resort. It was still remorseless.

Another peal of white flashed outside, followed a mere few seconds later by the pulse-rending rumble. Still, Katara couldn't help but shudder. She didn't need reminding how remorseless lightning was.

Opening her eyes, her vision adjusted far better to the darkness of the bedroom. Spacious enough to be a small home in its own right, it was a part of a mansion that had been given to the Avatar and his family on their visits. Luxuriant and comfortable, boasting the Fire Nation colors in its décor, but accented with familiar colors from the other Nations as well. It was always a comforting sight.

The only thing missing was the Avatar.

Katara took another deep breath and smoothed the empty side of the bed. And she immediately knew the reason for her unusual worries. Aang had been gone for a few days, helping Zuko with a few world matters around various parts of the Fire Nation. A part of her had wanted to go too…but then, what if something had happened to them when Tenzin was alone, cared for briefly by someone else? It was a motherly fear she carried; she _couldn't_ leave him alone.

And so she decided that she could try to bear the pain of her husband being away for a short while.

The storm now, though, had her nerves fully on edge, and the Waterbender believed that she could no longer fall asleep. _Aang never had a good history with storms,_ she thought, her hands coming up to hold her upper arms. _Wherever you are, my love…I hope you're far away from this._

As if to scare her as an answer, another flash of lightning danced across the black clouds and sounded its relentless drum across the heavens. The rain fell in torrents over the window, cascading over the glass and marring the view of the outside.

_It's noisy tonight…pretty close._ She blinked tiredly before tearing her gaze away from the window to the door. _I hope it hasn't woken Tenzin._

_…I should check on him,_ Katara decided and ordered herself up out of the warm sheets to pull on her robe. Her son was usually a deep sleeper, but noise of _that_ magnitude could wake the dead. Whether it was mother's instinct or merely herself wishing for something besides the lightning to focus on, she simply knew that it would be a good decision anyway.

She lit a candle to illuminate her path as she carefully opened the door and examined the long hallway of the second floor. Empty, dark, and quiet. Almost foreboding, in a storm. The Water Tribe mother, for a moment, missed the simplicity of a close and comfortable ice hut.

Making her way down the hall to the door at the end nevertheless, she raised her hand to knock, then hesitated and instead pressed her ear to the door. After all, she didn't want to wake him herself if the storm hadn't.

She heard another loud crash of thunder pierce the quiet outside of the mansion. And to her fears, she also heard a muffled whimper within the room.

"Tenzin?" she tentatively called, the tone of her voice set at just above a whisper. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

No answer. The rain could still be heard just pounding the rooftop.

Then, after a second, another whimper sounded out. Just loudly enough for her to hear.

Katara stepped back from the door. "I'm coming in," she gently warned as she twisted the knob and the latch clicked open.

The room was dark upon entering. It was a small guest chamber, but still more than big enough for her son to enjoy as his own little space in their Fire Nation home; and he certainly had. Both of his parents were often quite amazed at how imaginative he was at using the space to plan out intricate and dramatic stories with his toys when his friends couldn't play with him otherwise.

The bed was even big enough to hide someone under. And as the candle was placed high enough to brighten the room some, she suspected that's where he was indeed concealed, as the covers upon the bed were flat, yet still disturbed.

Before Katara could call for him, another thunderclap passed by, and she could hear the five-year-old's faint and fearful noises. The Waterbender tilted her head with worry. She barely remembered ever having childhood fears like that of the dark, or the mysterious creaks and groans in the dead of night. And here was her son, alike in countenance and bravery to them both, scared underneath the bed by lightning.

A small smile came to her face. _Everyone has their fears._

"Tenzin?" She called again, her voice more sing-song. "Huh, now where could that son of mine be?" she mused, feigning ignorance in a light-hearted attempt to draw him out. Her hands were on her hips. "Surely he can't be hiding from a little rainstorm, the brave kid that he is."

No reply. She tried again, exaggeratedly poking in every possible hiding crevice but the bed.

"Is he in the dresser? No, wait, that can't be right. Maybe that prairie-mouse hole."

This time, she heard a small, stifled giggle.

"That _must_ be it," Katara grinned, snapping her fingers. "He turned himself into a prairie-mouse and ran off."

Another quick chirp of laughter. Now she _knew_ that he'd forgotten the storm for a second to play this game of his mother's.

"That's such a shame," she hummed, nonchalantly stepping near the bed and tapping her chin with a finger. "He's _much _too small to find now. He could be _anywhere._ Oh, dear me, I hope that a shadow spirit doesn't snatch him up."

She heard a short gasp and another giggle. Rolling her eyes upward innocently, she raised her hand towards the water bowl by his bed and called up a short stream of the clean liquid. "Well, I'm sure they won't find him, wherever he must be hiding. He's _too_ clever for any shadow spirit."

As she heard another muffled snicker, Katara smirked and snaked the stream of water behind the bed, then under it, presumably behind her son or nearby where he couldn't see something moving in the darkness. "But then again, we all know what those mischievous spirits do to kids who are lost." Her fingers gave a little twitch.

"AAH!"

At an inhuman sort of speed, the little Airbender shot out from underneath the bed and zipped behind his mother's leg, clinging to her calf in shock. "MAMA don't leave I almost got snatched by a shadow spirit A SHADOW SPIRIT MAMA I felt it on my_ LEG _it almost got me don't let it carry me off and EAT ME!" he rattled off.

The mother was shaking with laughter as she leaned down to pick up her startled child. "Sweetie, it's okay; there's no shadow spirit here. It was just me, Waterbending." In demonstration, her free hand pulled the stream of water from its hiding place and back into the small washbasin. "See?"

Tenzin's gray eyes widened, shaking his head and trying not to laugh along with her. "Mama, that's not funny," he barked.

She was still chortling as she sat on the edge of the bed with him. "And yet you're laughing too."

"Am not," he insisted, snorting and crossing his arms with an indignant pout.

Wiping the last of her mirthful tears away, Katara hugged him. "Aw; forgive me, my little Airbender. I was just having a little fun with you. Besides, I got you out from hiding under the bed," her lip quirked in amusement.

The child blinked up at her and drew his knees up to his chin. "I didn't _want_ you to see me hiding. I don't like being scared."

Her head tilted, and the smile faded slightly. "Nobody does, Tenzin. But it's really nothing to be ashamed of. _Everyone_ has something they're scared of."

He shook his head and hid a part of his face in his arms. "Not _you,_ or Daddy."

Katara's eyes closed. "There's where you're wrong. Even I have things I'm afraid of. And so does your father. Like I said; _everyone_ does. They just don't often show it."

His head lifted in curiosity. "Really? But…you're a Master, and Daddy's the Avatar. You're both heroes. You weren't scared when you saved the world, were you?"

"Oh, we were scared," Katara admonished, pulling him into her embrace. "Plenty scared. We didn't know if we were going to succeed or fail, and if the world would ever be the same and that everyone would stop fighting. But that didn't stop us from trying, and doing what needed to be done. The difference between being brave and being a coward is the ability to face your fears when you need to. And that's what we did, and it turned out okay."

Tenzin's gaze briefly broke from hers as he leaned comfortably into her arms. "Guess so."

His mother stroked his hair comfortingly. "You wanna know a secret?"

"Sure," the young Airbender answered, looking up.

"Your dad's also scared of storms."

"What? No way," Tenzin's head shook.

"Way," Katara smiled. _He's probably gonna give me an earful for revealing it though._ "Remember when I told you the story of when I first found him in an iceberg, trapped in the Avatar State?"

"Yeah," Tenzin nodded. "That was weird."

She chuckled. "It was. He told me that he got there when he flew out into a storm with Appa and got stranded under the ocean. The Avatar State saved him by freezing him in the middle of a block of ice. But ever since, he always tried to stay away from flying in storms, because of the danger. And because it reminds him of his weaknesses." _And one of his biggest mistakes._ "Not even the Avatar can combat Nature."

As if to drive the point home, the thunder outside rolled again, causing Tenzin to wince and scrunch his fingers in her sleeve. "Never thought of it that way." He blinked at her again. "What're _you_ afraid of?"

"Well," she sighed, "I'm afraid of lightning, a little bit."

"Really?"

"Yep." She laughed a little. "It's the reason I can't sleep tonight either. That and the fact that I miss your father terribly."

Tenzin nodded in understanding. "I miss him too. When's his Avatar thingy gonna be done?"

Katara was uncertain of how to answer truthfully, so she simply made a guess. "Perhaps in a day or two. Not long. He's just doing a little traveling with Fire Lord Zuko." She smiled reassuringly. "You know those two, nothing can beat them. They'll be okay."

"Yeah," Tenzin giggled.

The Waterbender laughed along with her son and simply held him for a few more moments, through a few more peals of thunder. The Airbender though was slowly getting used to the noise, it seemed, but he still wasn't ready at all to sleep.

"Hey, Mama, I'm wondering," he said finally. "Are shadow spirits real? Or were you trying to scare me?"

Katara smirked mysteriously. "You never know with spirits." She laughed at his mystified—but uncertain—expression. "Oh, don't worry, I made it up; _my_ mother liked to tease me with spirit stories too. Besides, if there are shadow spirits, they aren't harmful. They're actually skittish little things. They just hide out and spy on people sometimes, that's all."

Tenzin grimaced. "I don't like being spied on by things in the dark."

"Well, they do have a weakness," the mother grinned. "Wanna know what it is?"

"What?" he leaned up to hear better.

"They get spooked by loud laughter." Suddenly, she lifted her hands and twiddled her fingers threateningly. "Ticklebug!"

"Eeep!" Tenzin yelped and leaped out of her reach. "Not the ticklebug!"

"Yes, the ticklebug," Katara laughed and snatched after him. "Get over here, you slippery little thing!"

"Nuh-uh!" he said, jumping around the room rather like a monkey with his acrobatic bending, screaming in laughter. "You can't catch me!"

"Wanna bet?" his mother snorted, letting him dart around the room until she swerved around in front of him and scooped him up. "I got you now, you can't escape!"

"No!" he screeched with mirth. "No ticklebugs!"

But his struggle was futile, as he was promptly plopped back onto his bed and his ticklish ribs attacked. Mother and son laughed the moments away, and the storm outside was briefly forgotten…as was the close and foreboding darkness and the flickering shadows of the bedroom.

Once she finally let him up for air, Tenzin crawled back up to his pillows, still giggling. "You're silly, Mama."

"Well, your dad teaches me a few things about having fun from time to time," Katara chuckled and tucked him into his blankets. "You think you can sleep now?"

The child opened his mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by an extra-loud thunderclap outside. He scrunched up and bit his lip. "Um…c-can you stay with me while I sleep? I-I still don't like it being so loud and scary when I'm alone."

His mother gave him a soft smile and nodded. "I'll be right here, little guy, don't worry. The storm will pass soon."

Feeling a little more comforted, Tenzin smiled back and nestled into the pillows. His eyes fluttered shut as he felt her still sitting beside him, ever watchful. As he started to drift off, Katara too felt better about the situation. _It's a good thing I chose to stay. We keep each other company well enough._

_

* * *

_

The storm did indeed pass, a few more hours into the night. The lightning and thunder finally traveled away from its almost-constant vigil over the Fire Nation, leaving behind only petering amounts of rain on the quiet rooftops and empty streets.

It was about then, when it was still dark and some hours away from dawn, that a weary presence flew down to the mansion. It was drenched in shadow, as if coming from the very heavens themselves, as it landed gingerly on the rooftop. It made its way around to the window of the bedroom it was seeking and peered inside.

_She'll definitely be surprised to see me,_ Aang thought with a gentle grin on his features as he opened the lock of the window and swung inside, making sure not to hit his staff on any part of the edge.

But once he got a good look at the room, he was surprised to see the bed vacant of its occupant. Katara was nowhere to be seen. His heart briefly leaped to his throat, before he saw the door open on its hinges. Most likely, she had just walked out, he reasoned.

Then, with a thoughtful hum, he placed the staff against the wall and took off his shoes. Placing his hands against the brickwork wall and his feet planting firmly, he used what he could of his Earthbending sense to see into the rest of the mansion. He sighed with relief afterward at his findings, and without another sound, carefully made his way down the hall where the light of a candle still flickered gently in Tenzin's room.

He inched the door open and peered inside. At the sight within, a smile crossed his face. His son was fast asleep. And Katara was slumping against the bedpost, having dozed off while sitting up on her promised vigil. The storm's passing had finally given them both enough incentive to let their tiredness return. He knew that Tenzin wasn't fond of storms. She must have stayed awake with him.

_Nobody could've asked for a better mother, _Aang thought, his heart always warmed at the love and care that his wife showed their child.

Quietly, he slipped inside and stood next to Katara. His hand rose to her face and the back of his fingers stroked the ever-soft skin on her cheek. His heart beat just a little faster at the contact. _I never know how much I truly miss her until I've been away._

The tender gesture was enough to rouse the Waterbender a little, being the light sleeper that she was. Her eyes fluttered open and met a pair of familiar gray orbs looking back with tired love in their depths.

"Hey," he smiled.

Katara blinked a few times, and then shot up and fell into his arms. "Aang!" she whispered loudly, clutching him as if for dear life. "You're back!"

He held her just as fervently, taking in her warmth and tender touch. "Yep, and glad to _be_ back," he murmured sincerely. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. We both did," she sighed, burying her face into the warm cloth of his robe. "I couldn't even sleep through this storm. I kept worrying about you."

"I thought as much," he smiled, looking back into her eyes and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "And it looks like Tenzin couldn't sleep either."

She chuckled, turning around to glance at him. "Yeah; he was a little ball of nerves every time the lightning passed by, so I kept him company tonight. I guess it's over now though."

"It has been for a few hours," he nodded, steadying the sleepy Waterbender. "C'mon…I think he'll be okay now."

"Yeah," she agreed with a wide yawn to accompany it. "He'll be quite happy to see you in the morning, though."

"Heh, and I'll feel the same," Aang smiled. With one last loving glance spared to the sleeping boy, they extinguished the candle and carefully made their way into the dark, quiet hall and back to their own room, hand-in-hand.

* * *

As the two of them prepared for sleep, Aang helping her out of her robe, Katara felt almost like she was dreaming of his presence; moments ago a storm had raged outside and touched upon the thing that she was _most_ afraid of; losing him, and losing everyone she loved.

But he was there; he was real. And she could barely let go of him as they settled together under the blankets and held each other close. Her head nestled onto his bare chest where she could hear his steady heartbeat; a little faster with each breath taken, a little slower again with each breath out, rhythmic and whole, the music of his life force.

His fingers combed gently through her hair; a soothing sensation that only further deepened her appreciation for him.

For a quiet moment, he regarded her weary actions, and only felt more compelled to be of comfort. "Did the lightning keep you awake?" he inquired gently.

He felt her nodding. "It's probably silly. But I'll always be uncomfortable around lightning. I keep seeing you getting struck and falling out of the air…and me rushing to catch you. Those memories of long ago are more burned into me than your scars."

"I know," he sighed, nestling his cheek against her hair. "It makes me sad, seeing you still so afraid. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Katara murmured. His heart was a steady, uncompromising beat in her ear, and she shuddered at remembering a time when she could barely feel it at all. "At least Tenzin will outgrow _his_ fears. We never will."

_Fears and regrets,_ Aang silently agreed, thinking back on his own luck with storms. "It's the price of war." Despite the sentiment, he smiled and placed his fingers under her chin to lift her eyes up to his. "Look at it this way, though," he murmured and leaned close, his warm breath a feathery caress on her face. "They just make you appreciate what we do have just a little more."

Katara smiled in return, her eyes closing in the familiar bliss of just being this close to him. "True," she sighed, her lips brushing over his. "I do appreciate you…most of the time."

He snorted and pulled back, quirking an eyebrow. "_Most_ of the time? You're supposed to say _all_ of the time."

She gave him a playful grin. "I reserve the right to not appreciate your goofball tendencies the rest of the time."

"_My _tendencies?" He snickered. "_You're_ the one ruining the romantic reunion moment."

At this, she held her laughter back and drew forward to him again. The quick, passionate kiss she placed on his lips caught him by surprise and robbed the Airbender of what breath remained in his lungs. He returned it with equal vigor soon after, holding her as the kiss deepened and lingered until sleepiness crept back into their bodies and the wanting caresses ceased with hesitation. The idea of continuing the show of sound appreciation for each other in the morning hours became an enticing one right then.

"So long as you never make me live my fears," Katara spoke against his skin as her head rested in the crook of his neck, "I'll appreciate you every second."

"As will I," Aang promised, enveloping his wife in his comforting grip as he felt her own pulse against his skin. _As long as we both live, you know we'll never fear again._ "I love you, now and always."

"I love _you_, always and forever."

The storm outside was long over, leaving the pair in silence and warmth, no longer harboring feelings of emptiness. Thus, so was the tempest of undying doubt over in the minds of a growing family; calmed and flowing away in their dreams.


	24. Being a Brother

((AN: I dunno why I keep myself up so late just to write. xP You get your best ideas out in the open when you're half-asleep, I guess.

Anyway. So yeah, I kinda caved in, writing a birth chapter for the triplets as per many requests. x3 I actually wanted to write a chapter with their birth in it too, to tell the truth. But in my humble opinion, when it comes to writing, a birth scene is something with such a sense of magic that you can only really capture the first time around. Though the circumstances are a little different, the overall mood would have been much the same as the first birth chapter, and it probably would have been as sub-par to read as to write. I know, I put myself down sometimes, but it's what I think. x3

So I asked my muse, "Muse, how should I write this?"

And she responded, "How about thinking like an Airbender and coming at it from an angle you never tried before?"

And so, I did; IE, the situation as seen through the eyes of a worried older brother. :3 So I guess it's a semi-birth chapter, but the event still happens. I hope it's still enjoyed regardless. ^^

Thanks for the comments and reviews, all, I look forward to every bit of it. ^^

Mike and Bryan own this world and all the characters. But the spawnies belong to me, except Tenzin. :B))

* * *

In the seven years of his life so far, Tenzin had never felt conflicted about much of anything.

But that all changed, slowly as he got used to the idea, in the days after he first found out that he was going to be an older brother. At first, he was about as thrilled as his parents. The prospect was all so new and exciting, and his own happiness had been as a result of his parents' euphoria as the triplets in Katara's womb grew large and healthy, so close to birth.

And then, more and more, he began to realize bits of the larger picture. The overall mood of things had suddenly changed in preparation for the babies. What would it be like _after_ they arrived? What kind of a brother would he be? Would his parents even relinquish some of their love for him, for these new arrivals? Surely not!

All of these questions he had in his mind, but he didn't know how to voice his concerns to the adults around him. Perhaps they'd just think him silly. So, all he could do was wait, and wonder.

And so now, as his mother and father were locked within another room of the Southern Air Temple awaiting the arrival of his new brothers…or sisters…or whatever, the young Airbender sat alone and had gotten just as lost in the intense silence as all of his gathered family members around. It was evening, just the night before the Winter Solstice, as the seasons prepared for the shift in power from Air to Water; and for the arrival, one of the largest sitting rooms in the living quarters was packed with anxious friends and relatives, all of whom had taken the time to travel and stay when Katara was within a few days of her time.

Gathered on and around one couch were Sokka and Suki, leaning on one another for support, with Hakoda resting on his arms behind them on the headrest. He'd caught the ride to the Temple with his son once he'd gotten the news; this time, _nothing _was going to keep the chief from seeing his new grandchildren. Sokka's nine-year-old daughter Kimiye was at their feet on the floor, quietly playing a board game with Zuko's six-year-old twins, Kazu and Ursa. The children didn't need to be told to be quiet…somehow, they sensed something solemn about the moment.

Zuko himself was sitting on an opposite couch with Mai, occasionally casting concerned glances between her and the door leading to the hallway—and to the room where the Waterbender was surely snapping at all of the healers hovering around her and Aang was trying to keep her calm.

Mai was holding their newest heir, a baby princess named Aza, who thankfully was fast asleep for the time being. Iroh was busying himself as usual with providing everyone with tea or cookies or such. The elderly Firebender's humming was an otherwise soothing break to the atmosphere.

Finally, to complete things, Toph was laying back on a third couch with her foggy eyes narrowed, looking for all the world annoyed or bored; but truthfully, she was concerned all the same for Katara and the babies. Triplets were rare, for certain, but more of them always put a birth at risk. They all knew that, and they all silently prayed that Katara wouldn't be the case. _Oh spirits, please do not let it be the case._

Toph's friend-turned boyfriend-turned-betrothed, The Duke, was sitting by her feet and leaning forward with a faraway stare. He moved his hands through his messy helmet-hair at intervals and had a short smile, just happy to be a part of the moment and of the Avatar's large, unconventional family.

Sokka let out a half-groan, half-sigh to break the silence. "Triplets. Wow."

"Still can't believe it, huh?" Suki smiled to her husband.

"Hey, I'll probably keep not believing it until the _triplets_ have kids," he replied and slumped forward in shaky laughter. "Our two proud parents are gonna be busy."

The Kyoshi Warrior nodded. "Busy, but happy."

"Triplets…" Zuko echoed, just as amazed.

"A spirits-given gift, I imagine it," Iroh chortled.

"That," the Fire Lord smirked, "Or just another thing to envy the Avatar for. Talk about productive."

"Hey now," Hakoda grimaced as the other older males (and Toph) in the gathering held back a few snickers. "My daughter happens to be the one bearing the weight."

Zuko held his hand up and his head bowed. "Apologies, Chief Hakoda. I meant no disrespect. Just trying to lighten the mood."

The Water Tribe patron sighed and scratched at his graying scalp. "It's okay. I'm just a little worried about her. I knew you were joking."

"Good," the Firebender half-smiled. "I'd rather not start a nationwide incident by poking fun."

"At the Avatar's virility of all things," Toph muttered with a snort.

"Boys will be boys," Mai deadpanned as she gently rocked the sleeping infant in her arms. "But, I certainly don't envy Katara right now."

"Me neither…" Sokka admitted. "Joking aside, I hope they're _both _okay."

Everyone muttered their silent agreements and went back to their musings.

As the adults patiently awaited their news, the children kept to themselves. At one point in a sort of elemental Chinese Checkers-type game, Kimiye's head popped up to glance at Tenzin, who was sitting between Sokka's couch and Toph's with a ball of air for amusement.

"Hey, Ten, you wanna come play? We need a fourth," she said.

The Airbender glanced up, seemed to contemplate his cousin's offer, and shook his head. "No thanks."

"You sure?" Ursa inquired. "You can be on my side."

"Yeah, I wanna see if I can beat _you_ for once," Kazu added.

Again, Tenzin refused by a mere shake of his head and returned his gaze downward to his air ball. His three friends glanced between each other before collectively shrugging and returning to the game at hand.

Most of the adults paid little heed to the moods of their children…but as Toph sat up and placed her feet on the floor, she found Tenzin's state rather curious. His heartbeat thrummed a steady, stressful pace, though he tried to project an outward air of calm.

"Hey, Mini-Twinkles, what's on your mind?" she asked, turning around to him. "You seem kinda down, and that's saying something for you."

He raised his head again. "No, I'm fine."

Toph blinked once. "You're lying, kid. C'mon, out with it. Talking might make you feel better."

Tenzin winced. He never saw Master Toph enough to remember her abilities, ironically the one from whom his father had learned the skill. But he was swiftly reminded; _nobody_ lied to the Earthbender, and she tended to keep pressing the truth out of the person she scrutinized. It only became worse when he suddenly saw several pairs of curious eyes from the adults turn to him.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" his aunt reached over the couch to gently touch his hair. "Are you worried about your mom?"

"Yeah…maybe…" he sighed and turned his head away. "That's not just it. It's hard to explain."

"Well, let's hear it, Sport," Sokka smiled. "You're talking to your family here. If anyone can help, it's us."

"Yeah, Ten, get out of hiding and join us," Zuko said with an inviting gesture.

"Talk to us, kid," Hakoda urged with that warm, grandfatherly smile.

…_I guess I gotta,_ Tenzin thought with a defeated sigh and crawled out from the shadow of the space between couches to settle in the middle of the floor, with everyone's attention centered upon him. He had to admit, he _wanted_ to speak up, and just the reassurance that his family could listen to him had put him somewhat at ease.

Settling in a cross-legged pose reminiscent of his father when he was meditating, the young Airbender regarded everyone with worry and confusion in his wide, stormy gaze.

"Well…" he started hesitantly, "It's just that, I'm gonna be a big brother."

"Yeah?" Sokka's head tilted. "Aren't you excited about it?"

"Yeah…well, I mean…" Tenzin bit his lip. "I don't know _how_ to feel about it. Everything feels different. And I don't even know _how_ to be a big brother. What do brothers even _do?_"

"Ahhh," Mai hummed in understanding. "First-time sibling worries."

Sokka chuckled. "Little guy, you happen to have come to the _right_ people. Both Mai and Zuko over there? They have younger brothers and sisters, and so do the twins here. And _I'm_ your mother's older brother, you know."

Remembering that, Tenzin felt a little more intrigued than worried. "So, how'd you feel when Mom was born, Uncle Sokka?"

The warrior started to speak, only to pause and scratch his chin. "Erm…you know, I have no idea. I was about one year old when she was born, so…as far as my memory is concerned, she was _always_ there." He leaned back. "Okay, you can count me out as a bad example."

"Gotta do the same with me," Zuko put in. "Azula's two years younger than me…so I can barely even remember what I felt when she was born."

"Only child, as far as I know," Toph's head shook. "Wish I could help, but can't."

"Same here," The Duke grimaced. "I can't even remember my _real_ family; I was too young when they disappeared."

Iroh chuckled and stepped up next to Zuko's side. "And you've left out someone in your count, young swordsman. I too am an older brother."

"Do you count though, Uncle?" the Fire Lord regarded him curiously. "You're so much older than my father."

"And, no offense, but I tend to leave Ozai out of _anything_ regarding you guys," Sokka pointed out.

"None taken," Iroh grumbled. "But, one cannot deny that he is still a part of our family's heritage and thus merits an example."

It was then that the old Firebender's eyes turned distant, rolling upward to the ceiling. He seemed to be reliving days long past…days in their otherwise tainted history that seemed much brighter. "Though…you are correct, I am no true example of how a brother should be. I was already far past the point that sibling dynamics wouldn't have mattered."

His wizened eyes met the gathering again. "And you see, a royal family is hardly as tight-knit as a family from the rest of the world. When I was still in my youth, I was always away from home, refining my training and pursuing a military career. News of Ozai's birth was of little concern to me, though I did try what little I could to bond with him on my days at home. As brothers, we were distant. Nothing more than blood relatives that were just there for us to accept." He sighed. "One of my regrets is wondering what could have happened, had I been there more for Ozai. To be the influence to him that I should have been."

"That's sad," Suki admonished. "If I might ask, Iroh…if you _could _have been there more often…is it possible that Ozai wouldn't have turned out as cruel?"

Sokka scoffed. "C'mon, you're talking about _Ozai._ 'Cruel' was practically his middle name."

"Actually, she has a point," Iroh hummed. "I imagine that there are actually several factors in Ozai's upbringing to have brought him to the state of mind that he had before his defeat. Not the least of all, the fact that I was the favored child in our family, being the Crown Prince and the firstborn. Ozai was merely looked down upon as the second, and because royal power was equal to love in our parents' eyes, he too grew up with that mindset."

"Don't I know that," sighed Zuko, shaking his head.

Suki thoughtfully gazed up. "It almost makes you want to pity him."

"_Pity_ Ozai?" Sokka spat.

"Sorry, but I have to agree with Boomerang Butt on this one," Toph pointed out, which also brought a nod out of The Duke and from Zuko.

"Ah, but you all have to remember that he was a child once, as were we all," Iroh concluded. "Everyone is born innocent, and their fate determined by the state in which they are placed and raised."

"He could have been innocent once," Zuko said, raising a hand up to the scarred side of his face. "But that does not excuse the choices he made in the end."

"No, it does not," Iroh agreed. "Our parents raise us, but our choices are our own, whether we have open minds or closed ones. Indeed, if I had made the effort to influence him, he could have possibly made better choices."

Mai hummed thoughtfully. "It was almost the same with me and Tom-Tom, actually."

The others regarded her questioningly, and she continued, her gaze resting on her daughter. "I was also a little too old for sibling jealousy when he was born. Or at least I thought. The way my parents fawned over him the way that I never was…I resented that for a little while."

Zuko put his hand on her shoulder, and she spared him a small smile before resuming her side of things. "I learned soon enough though…that what grudges I have against my family shouldn't be taken out on an innocent young life. It was never his fault. And so I helped raise him how I could too."

"Say, how _is_ that pudgy little brother of yours doing?" Sokka smiled, reminded of the debacle of returning the baby to the Fire Nation governor long ago.

"Bigger," Mai smirked. "And a pretty rebellious fifteen-year-old; he even hates going to the Royal Academy. I got a letter from my mother recently, and she wishes that he was more like me."

"How ironic is that," Zuko snorted.

"She wishes he was a blade-throwing psycho?" Sokka grinned, only to duck and save his wolf-tail from getting sawed off when a shuriken purposely missed being flung over his head.

"Anyway, Tenzin," Mai sighed amid the laughter in the room and turned back to her godchild. "Being an older sibling is a new experience, to be sure. And full of responsibility."

Iroh's gaze turned back to the boy with a smile. "_That_ is what being a brother is. Yours is now the responsibility of not only being an older sibling, but being a fair influence in the young lives of others. You are a protector, a teacher, and someone that they could very well look up to. You will play a good part in raising them alongside your parents."

The Airbender took in his words, but frowned and drew his legs up to his chin. "Sounds really hard."

Sokka smiled. "It isn't as hard as you think. I knew all these things when I grew up with Katara, and we kinda ended up being each other's influence. We learned from each other, protected each other, and grew very close. And considering how well you were raised, Tenzin, you'll be a _great_ big brother."

He sat up, smiling a little. "Really? You think so?"

"I _know _so, kid," his uncle smiled. "You're very caring. And you can help your dad teach them Airbending, maybe. They'll _love_ you."

Tenzin grinned at the thought, closing his eyes. "But…Mom and Dad will still be so busy now, though."

"Well, that's just because babies need that attention," Mai pointed out, gesturing to Aza as an example. "They're very fragile, and parents have to be there for them as they grow up."

Tenzin scrutinized the bundle in her arms with a tilted head as she stirred. "I guess that's true," he admonished.

"But," Suki cut in, "That doesn't mean that they won't love you any less than them. Your mother and father will still be there for you, and will love you all equally."

"That's for sure," Sokka chuckled. "Aang would feel _so_ bad if he thought he was favoring one kid over the other."

"And so would Katara, I'm sure," Zuko chuckled. "Tenzin, take it from me and from Mai. _All_ of our kids are a great part of our lives." His smile refused to part from his scarred visage as he looked away in thought. "I will not make the same mistake my father did. Or _his_ father for that matter."

"We knew that already, Zuko," Mai smiled as she took his chin in her hand. "You're doing pretty well, if I have anything to say."

"Agreed," Iroh chuckled and reached over to tickle his great-niece's cheek. "The Fire Nation's future ought to be a bright one from here on out."

"I wonder if Aza will be a Firebender," Ursa said, letting herself into the conversation. "Me and Kazu wanna teach her stuff."

"If you girls don't spend all your time playing with dolls," her twin snorted, causing her to raspberry in retaliation.

"I _definitely_ can't wait to see my new cousins," Kimiye grinned, her deep blue eyes settling on Tenzin. "We can all play together."

"Yeah," the young Airbender smiled with her, envisioning a future in which he had many little brothers and sisters to teach and watch over. "I can't wait to see, either."

"I'm pretty blessed to see such a happy family growing in my lifetime," Hakoda chuckled. "I never had siblings, but Bato was always like a brother to me."

"You even fought like brothers," Sokka laughed. "Remember the Great Tiger Seal Caper?"

"Oh, good Spirits," Hakoda snorted in embarrassed laughter. "Who tells you these things?"

"Everyone who knows about it." A pause. "Which is everyone."

"Bah…"

The room let out bouts of silent laughter, the mood once again lightened.

But it still couldn't subtract from the fact that time ticked almost relentlessly slow. And it set everyone once more into the awkward, almost unending silence of anticipation, worry, and excitement…feelings that made one jittery, pacing on the floor or tapping fingers on armrests or feet to kick idly like a pendulum. But at least Tenzin felt a little more open and his fears abated; just enough to join his cousin and friends in their game.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door to the hall clicked open. Much of the group leaped to their feet, watching the healer in Water Tribe garb as she stepped before them and bowed her quick greeting.

"How is she?" Sokka immediately asked, steadying himself on the headrest of the couch.

"You can all relax," the healer smiled. "Master Katara is doing fine; she is fast asleep at the moment. The birth was exhausting, but the delivery was safe. An amazing pillar of strength, she is; as is the Avatar."

"And the babies?" Hakoda inquired.

"Healthy, all three of them," she beamed. "Two boys and one girl."

The sighs of relief from the group soon turned into cries of mirth, as they all leaped to each other and exchanged weary hugs and congratulations. The children were bouncing in anticipation, watching the adults' reactions and keeping their eyes set on the healer.

"When may we see them, then, if I may ask?" Iroh spoke once the others settled.

The healer bowed apologetically. "The Avatar has told me to tell you to wait here for a few moments longer, until his wife awakens. She is still stressed from the delivery and should not be disturbed."

"That's fine," the old warrior admonished. "We're just glad to know that everything went well. Please, let us know soon."

"It should not be too long, Chief Hakoda," the healer said, straightening up and turning back to the door. "I shall let the Avatar know you are all waiting."

The group settled back into their respective seats, finally able to relax in light of the news and simply wait for their chance to see the newest members of the family.

"Two nephews and a niece," Sokka nearly squeaked. "I love being an uncle."

"Well, maybe we can try for more children, too," Suki said with a wry grin, poking him in the rib. "Nine years is long enough a wait."

"Goodness, I'll have to make a list of all my grandkids," Hakoda laughed. "Don't want to forget anyone on the holidays."

"Now that's funny, a whole new Nation of Airbenders calling me Godfather Zuko," the Fire Lord laughed.

"At least until you're dead," Mai pointed out.

He snorted. "Oh, thanks, that's comforting."

"Hey, Toph," The Duke turned to her with a smile. "You think _we'll_ make good parents?"

The blind Earthbender simply smirked. "Hold that thought 'til we're married, Speedy."

"Gotcha."

Throughout the mirthful banter, soon enough, the healer returned with the news that the group was allowed into the room. They stood and carefully filed through the doorway and into the hall, keeping the children as quiet as possible while they made their way through.

Tenzin was near the forefront with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, his eyes set firmly upon the door. _Wow,_ he thought, the weight of the situation dawning on him once more with each step. _I'm a brother now._

Soon, even their low, milling conversation was silenced in heavy anticipation as the door opened and the healers ushered them inside the giant temple room, made into a suitable and comfortable infirmary. The nurses and midwife all stepped aside for them as all pairs of eyes fell to the sight at the largest bed.

Katara, lying comfortably in the fur sheets, had never looked so very tired. But though she had that exhausted look, her hair drenched with sweat and laying flat over her shoulders and eyes half-lidded, nobody could deny the feeling she exuded…a purely maternal glow set about her as she turned her head up from the two carefully-wrapped bundles in her arms to greet her family members with a lethargic, eternally blissful smile.

And Aang wasn't very different. He sat closely at her side, his arms protectively cradling a third bundle, his smile mirroring his wife's as he looked between her and his newborn triplets with pride and joy. He had glistening tear marks over his cheeks that he hadn't bothered to wipe away, showing his elation at having his family there beside him, surviving an ordeal of pain and suffering…all for the sake of the new lives in their arms.

"Oh wow," Sokka quietly admonished, almost in tears himself as he led the others inside and stood beside Katara, brushing the stray hair from her face. "Hey, sis. How're you doing?"

"Well, they took a lot out of me," she laughed shakily in reply. "Literally. But I'm fine."

Hakoda chuckled as he leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm proud of you, sweetheart. You're one tough girl."

"Never doubted that for a second," Zuko smiled, patting Aang on the shoulder. "Congratulations. Both of you."

"Thanks," the Avatar said in reply, smiling down at the baby he held. "I can hardly believe how lucky we are."

"They're all beautiful," Suki smiled. "And they all look unique."

It was then that Tenzin made his way to his parents' bedside. The others cleared a path for him, for they knew how much he wanted right then to see his new little siblings. "Um," he timidly started, staring up at both his mother and father. "Can I…?"

"Of course, little guy," Aang smiled warmly. "You've gotta see this. Just be cautious."

Beaming, he carefully wormed his way on the bed and peered down at the faces of the newborns. He curiously looked over all of them, even going so far as to reach out and touch their hands with his fingertip. "Wow…" he whispered. "They're so very _tiny._"

"You were that little too, once," Katara smiled.

"Well then, Twinkletoes, Sweetness," Toph smirked, crossing her arms. "You guys got names for these kids, or do I have to come up with new nicknames?"

Katara nodded. "Aang and I took turns naming them, and I went first, since he named the first one," she smiled and looked over at the child wrapped in pink and white, who looked up periodically with blinking eyes of shining gray. Her skin was about the same shade as Tenzin's, a halfway-point between hers and Aang's. The sprig of hair on her head was like her mother's own dark brown. "This little girl here, I named Kya." She glanced back up to her brother and father. "After Mom."

Sokka turned to wipe away his tears, while Hakoda nodded his approval. "It's perfect."

"And this handsome little guy is Khandro," Aang said, presenting the one he held, wrapped in blue. The child was lighter in skin tone, much like him, with a sprig of black hair. His eyes, however, were a striking shade of his mother's blue when they opened briefly. "It's a peaceful, spiritual Air Nomad name."

"Now _that's_ sweet," Mai hummed.

"Finally," Katara finished, regarding the third child, also wrapped in blue, "This is Tamoka." This child blinked with his father's gray eyes up at his beholders, sporting a skin color as dark as his mother's and a few strands of black hair from Aang.

"A warrior's name," Hakoda chuckled. "This one seems to have a few strong Water Tribe features."

"He does," Sokka agreed, sending a smile to the parents. "But all of them are very cute."

"They are," Tenzin said, smiling. "And I get to help take care of them, right?"

Katara nodded. "Exactly, sweetie."

Aang stood up, carefully placing Khandro in a safe little nook on the bed so that he could lift Tenzin to his shoulders. "You're a big brother now, so you get to be a lot of help from here on out. But trust me, it's all worth it."

"I know," Tenzin grinned as he around at the sight of the entire gathering of his family. "I learned about it."

As the children were watched and fawned over by the group, the older brothers and sisters among them shared similar thoughts.

_This is how it should have been. And now, it's how it will always be._


	25. The Way to Calm

((AN: Bweee, another short little one-shot for this collection again. x3 I was in another of my fluffy moods, too; this one jumps all the way back to Katara's pregnancy with Tenzin, and how she was dealing with all the stress on her body for the first time. I imagine Aang would be a rather diligent husband, all ready to ask "how high" when told to jump. xP But, I also think he'd have some power to his methods, when it comes to soothing her inner fire.

So yeah, enjoy this little chapter of pointless preggy-fluff. ^^

Everything here is owned by Mike and Bryan.))

* * *

Katara had many opinions about her first pregnancy in the entirety of the nine months she went through it. But it would always be a blessing, foremost in her mind. She woke up every morning and smiled when she could feel that the little bump on her abdomen had still safely cradled the new life growing within, and she went to bed every night hoping that it would continue to be so.

There were of course times, however, when being pregnant felt more like a curse than a blessing. As the baby grew, her body was put under more and more stress, and she could feel it in even the most subtle changes. Her patterns of hunger were irregular…her moods switched constantly between one emotion or another…and sometimes she even found it uncomfortable to stand up or walk for a long time, let alone practice her bending. A part of her—the part that knew how to deal with expectant mothers and the feelings that were ingrained as a portion of her own instincts—knew it was all natural.

But another part certainly wouldn't have minded things to go by faster, until the time when she would no longer have to trudge through her bouts of unsolicited depression or fear or irritation.

Thankfully, whenever he had time at home away from his travels, meetings, and various duties, Aang was always helping and staying by her side, catering to her every need. She was constantly impressed with her husband's enthusiasm for the baby and the loving protectiveness he showed around her, and never once did she doubt how lucky she was even in her worst days. Even if sometimes his hovering became annoying, she never wanted him to stay away from her for very long.

* * *

It was a particularly bad day for the Waterbender one warm summer morning…or at least, the weather felt too warm for her tastes. Although she tried to keep herself calm, it was as if she was finding fault with everything having to do with herself. It was another day where she couldn't Waterbend properly, for her emotions weren't enough at peace. She was neither hungry, nor sociable; she had preferred to stay in bed over saying goodbye to their visiting friends and relatives as they left for their various homes.

It was just after lunchtime when she awoke and ordered herself and her growing belly with a minimum amount of difficulty down to one of the sitting rooms near the kitchen of the Southern Air Temple. At first she had the idea to fix something to eat, but decided against it once her sleepy eyes fell to the sight of one of the comfortable couches surrounding the hearth.

Ever-mindful of the baby, Katara carefully situated herself with her back against the armrest. She pinched the bridge of her nose as her eyes lazily closed again, as if willing her to sleep. _What's wrong with me today…? I don't have the energy to do anything._ Her other hand idly picked through the disheveled strands of the long, loose hair that she had yet to wash since the day before. _Aang will probably laugh when he sees me. I look like a mess._

Truthfully, though Katara took a little pride in her appearance, her frustration didn't come from how she looked right then, but how she _felt _she looked…which was something akin to lazy, slovenly, and incomplete…and worse, it felt like she couldn't hide it.

She was a girl raised on an active lifestyle; even long after the war's end, when the days were peaceful and thankfully lacking anything to fight for or to work toward, she still enjoyed walking, running, enjoying her Waterbending practice…_anything_ to make sure the day wasn't wasted on laziness. Whenever the others would tease and tell her to lighten up, being the one on task and busy was a hard habit to break, and it was where she found some of her own comfort.

_It's just the pregnancy, _Katara kept reminding herself. _For the baby's sake, I have to take it easy right now._

Still, like a dark cloud hovering over her mind, her emotions were still set to go off on a hair trigger. Taking a deep breath and letting it out in a long and soothing sigh, she resigned herself to a day of rest. Nothing would disturb her if it could be helped.

Suddenly, just as she was drifting halfway into a nap, a voice rang out from the hall nearby, getting a little louder as it came closer into the room. "Is that you, Katara? Hey, I got you some…"

The disturbance was interrupted by a loud growl from the Waterbender, as she sat up and shot a blood-shot glare toward the door. _"What is it?"_ she snarled.

But then, she immediately softened a little. Standing just inside the entrance was a rather surprised Aang, who straightened up and blinked in a nervous fashion.

"…Um…" he started, his voice a little high and sheepish as he lifted the cup he held like a peace offering. "Tea?"

The grimace on her face melted to be replaced with one more gentle and apologetic, suddenly surprised at her own temper. "Oh…tea, of course…" She wasn't feeling thirsty at the moment, but reached out for the cup anyway, considering that her husband had gone to the trouble…and that it would indeed probably calm her down a little more. "Thanks, Aang…I'm so sorry…I can't believe I just snapped like that."

As he entered the room and handed her the cup, the Airbender gave her a gentle smile. "It's okay. I didn't mean to sneak up on you." While Aang watched her tentatively sip the tea, his head tilted with concern at her slightly untidy appearance. He knelt by her side and touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Are you alright? You look so tired."

Katara swallowed the warm liquid in her mouth and grimaced, closing her eyes and turning her face from him. "I'm _very_ tired. It was so hard to get up today. I can't believe I slept so late."

"Are you sick?" Aang asked his wife while resting his palm on her forehead to feel for a fever. Worry was evident in his eyes and his arched eyebrows, though she felt normal to his touch. "Maybe you should stay in bed."

"That's just it," the Waterbender said with a frustrated scoff, sitting up a little more to face him again and setting the tea aside. "I don't _want_ to stay in bed, or stay _here_ all day. Ugh…" she hid her eyes in her hand with a minute amount of shame at herself. "I guess being pregnant is messing me up a little too much. I'm not used to having to be lazy and basically losing control of my head…and it shows!" she growled again. "I haven't washed, haven't eaten much, and I feel like I weigh enough to keep Appa on the ground. I look horrible, I _feel_ horrible…"

She bit her lip as her voice grew softer. "And you should probably get out of here before I yell at you again. I hate myself right now."

Aang simply listened to her with a calm demeanor, though the curious concern in his stare still told her what she expected; he knew less than she did about how her pregnancy would affect things…but still he had made a promise to be there for his beloved through the ups and downs of everything in their relationship, and the Avatar certainly wasn't going to back down from it.

Katara felt his hand returning to her face, cupping her cheek and softly urging her to look at him again. When she opened her eyes, red and brimming with self-depreciating tears, she only saw his warm smile and his loving gaze staring right back.

"Funny," he remarked with a little chuckle, "You say you look horrible. But from where I'm sitting, you happen to look absolutely beautiful."

His wife's face grew red, and she snorted incredulously. "Aang, _please…_you don't have to stand there and try to make me feel better…"

"Katara; it's true. I'm not just saying that." he cut her off, his voice gentle and insistent as he cradled her face in his palms, locking his eyes to hers. And as always, once she was looking into the depths of his gray irises and intently-focused pupils, she started to lose all resolve to argue with him. His adoring smile only urged her further to take in his words. "I love you; and I'll never think that you're anything less than beautiful, no matter how you happen to look."

There was a welling of peace in her heart, once her turbulent mind tried to accept the truth in his words. Though doubt still littered the pregnant woman's emotions, there he stayed, his thumbs stroking over the sensitive and flushed skin on her cheeks and his fingers brushing stray hair strands away from her face. Her eyes drifted contentedly closed of their own accord, and he took that opportunity to press a simple kiss on her lips for the purpose of lending his comfort and his love. Her raging blood stilled, and her stomach fluttered.

She let out a quiet half-laugh once he broke away and quirked a playful eyebrow. "So…even if I happened to come in all muddy and dirty, you'd still find me beautiful?"

"More so than any spirit," he grinned back.

"What about completely covered in Appa's snot?"

Aang snickered. "Even then. Though I would ask him why he chose to sneeze on you."

She rolled her eyes upward and shook her head, leaning back onto the headrest again. "You're incorrigible."

"I'm only telling the truth," he smiled in a way that he knew always charmed her and crossed his arms primly. "A monk doesn't lie about his feelings to a woman."

Katara barked out a laugh. "You might as well quit it with the 'noble and pure monk' thing, _Avatar_, when you consider certain things we've done in this temple," she gestured to her pregnant belly with a teasing grin.

A tinge of pink crossed his cheeks, even though he kept up a smug smile. "I told you, my people never considered the act a sin. Besides," he stood up and feigned a theatrically authoritative voice. "_I'm_ the one who owns this place now. And as the head monk, I say that _whatever _I touch or do in this temple is sacred."

Although Katara wanted to roll her eyes at her husband's dramatic declaration, she couldn't help but gush a little. "Aw…" she tilted her head, her eyes wide and shining. "I'm sacred?"

At her retort, the Airbender blushed brightly and leaned toward her again with an equally bright smile. "My dear," he bowed, "You were already sacred even before my _eyes_ touched you."

She laughed and gave him a light push. "Okay, now that was just cheesy."

"Oh, you loved it," he grinned and knelt beside her again.

"Did not," she replied, though the lingering splash of crimson on her face betrayed the lie.

He only kept up that playful grin, and then his look turned soft and admiring once more as he reached out to lay his palm over the bump on her abdomen where their baby was growing. His other hand cradled her cheek as he looked back into her eyes. "Besides, to tell the truth, there _has_ been something different about you ever since you started getting bigger."

"Oh, really?" she quirked an eyebrow at his choice of words and felt herself falling back into her self-doubt.

Mindful of the tone in her voice, he shook his head. "It's nothing bad…it's just hard to describe. I'm finding you beautiful in a new way. Every time I look at you, carrying our baby…I just, well…" he blushed. "I like it."

A small smile crossed Katara's features, and her eyes fell to her swollen womb as she placed her hand there next to her husband's. "I think I know what you mean. Suki told me a little while ago that I have a 'maternal glow' about me." She looked upward thoughtfully. "Except for all the changes, I never thought I looked any different. But everyone else insists that I just seem…happier."

"Are you?" Aang inquired curiously.

The Waterbender let out a light laugh and faced him, smiling warmly, and eyes half-lidded with content. "I think so, yes. There's no reason why I wouldn't be, after all."

"You're right," He smiled back and stood up again, moving to the other end of the couch. "That _has_ to be it."

Katara's legs shifted upward to give him room to sit, but to her slight surprise he carefully lifted her feet so that her calves were situated comfortably on his lap as he scooted up to where she lay. He took one ankle in his hand and massaged the tight, swollen muscles there. Too tired still to think of protesting in him taking up his time just for her, she merely sighed. "I still hate days like this, though," she admonished. "When I just don't feel at all like myself."

"Well," Aang said, smiling while concentrating on his tender attention on her bare legs, "You just have to know when to take it easy. You'll always have time other days for Waterbending, or doing work. Treat yourself and kick back every so often. Especially when your body happens to be telling you to." He paused to reach over and admiringly caress her cheek. "And you know you're not alone. I'm just as anxious as you are; and I'll always be here to help, or try to be."

"Mmm…I guess you might be right," Katara admitted, finally, and resigned herself to relaxing; which was always easy to do when in Aang's presence. The Airbender's energy was at times nigh unstoppable and his happy demeanor never-ending, a contrast to her serious nature. But that was what made him perfect to her…he could find ways to spend his time in a cloud of bliss, and could also find ways to take her right there with him.

She let out a little hum here and there as he kept his diligent, tender pressing on her tired muscles and worked his way up and over her legs. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again," Katara murmured as she shifted her back in an attempt to be a little more comfortable against the headrest, "You're the best husband a woman could ask for."

At the compliment, Aang blushed furiously. "Well, you _deserve_ the best. I can only hope I live up to it. I have to admit though, Sokka and Hakoda have both been pretty helpful in letting me know what to expect," he chuckled.

The Waterbender smirked. "My dad I can see giving good advice. But what'd Sokka tell you, I wonder?"

"Only one thing," he replied and paused for a second to imitate his brother-in-law. "'Do whatever your wife says. Trust me on this.'"

At that, Katara let out a little laugh. "Well, there _is_ a brain in his thick skull after all."

"How'd you think he survived going through a pregnancy with Suki?" he retorted with a bit of a snort as he went back to his massaging, moving up to her thighs. "The guy can learn when he wants to."

"Well," his wife chortled, "Whatever advice you're given, it's paying off." She shifted herself again and let out a quiet moan. "That feels wonderful."

"Happy to help." He smiled slightly, but kept his eyes on his work as his wandering hands made their way under the fabric of her loose Air Nomad orange-and-yellow robe. The outfit had been a gift from him; she wore it as her belly grew, and she had to admit that the simple flowing garments had proven to be as useful as they were stylish.

Through his pressing on her muscles, Katara couldn't help but shiver as his fingers brushed against her inner thigh. "I have the sneaking suspicion though that you also find this a good excuse to get your hands on me," she smirked.

He paused and looked to her with false shock. "Why, Katara, you wound me," he sighed, his eyes twinkling. "My intentions are nothing but honorable." As he said this, she felt his fingers drumming playfully on the skin where they'd stopped. His grin turned sly.

Katara snorted. "My apologies, O virtuous one," she swooned, "It seems I'm mistaken, although I would certainly hate to see what you think is _not_ an honorable intention. Ow…" she suddenly grimaced, interrupting her playful insults to sit up a little bit away from the armrest she was lying on. "Sorry, my back…"

"Oh," Aang said as he ceased his ministrations and watched her with concern. "Not comfortable enough?"

"I guess I just picked the wrong couch," the Waterbender grunted as she tried to re-orient herself. "See? This is too cumbersome."

"Well, that's why I'm here," her husband replied with a light smile as he moved her legs out of the way for her and stood up again. "I have an idea. Just scoot up a little."

She gave him a curious look, but did as told, breathing a sigh of relief for once at the thought of not having to get up to her feet. Katara watched Aang while her arms instinctively wound around her belly, as if protecting it from too much movement made. But he was as gentle as he could be while he oriented himself again, sitting behind her on the couch and pushing his legs out to either side of her.

When his back was nestled in the crook between the cushion and the armrest, he took her upper body in a loose grip and urged her to scoot back and lie against him.

"That should work," he observed with a murmur once she was nestled there upon his chest, his arms encircling her with one of her own hands resting on his upraised leg.

And indeed, she thought with a tinge of warm on her face, it _did_ work. She always loved lying close to him like this, feeling enveloped in his very essence; protected and cared for. She could hear his every breath, and feel his voice resonating when he spoke.

Katara drew in a long sigh and released it, laying her head back onto his collarbone. His cheek nestled against the side of her head, cushioned in her hair. "Anyone ever tell you that you make a good pillow?" she smiled.

He laughed, and the vibrations from the motion it made tickled her a little. "Not until now." His hands moved up and caressed her arms and shoulders. "But it's nice to know."

"I bet," his wife laughed back, letting out a low hum when he started massaging her shoulders near her neck. "I just hope you aren't planning on moving for a while."

"Psh," he dismissively scoffed and gave her head an affectionate nuzzle. "Don't worry; I can move us both when we need to. Not that I _want _to move right now anyway." His voice lowered to a loving whisper, and his fingers tickled the bare skin of her shoulders beneath the robe. "I'll spend all day relaxing right here with you, if you so wish."

A peal of warm shivers cascaded down her body, hearing him speak like that. His voice had the same qualities in them that it had when he was a child, regardless of how deep it had become in later years. It was mirthful, melodic, and commanding when need be…but only for her, it was low and gentle and so very inviting.

She closed her eyes and simply let herself go then, finding her balance with his soothing guidance. She felt him relaxing as if he were at rest too, lazily moving her hair back and kissing bare spots on her face, one hand still flexing on the muscles of her upper arm while the other snaked to her pregnant stomach and ever-so-slowly rubbed all over the surface. He held her up so easily and reminded her of his power and strength…but his hold and caressing reminded her of the kind, sweet soul under the burdening mantle of the Avatar.

For Aang, it was his eternal content to have his lovely soul mate there in his arms…to hear her breathe and hum with fond appreciation in her musical voice…to see a blissful smile on her face and be the reason that she was at peace. And true to form, the maternal glow she had only intensified his need to hold her, admire her, protect her, love her…his beloved, his savior, his best friend, the _mother of his child…_it was all overwhelming, and wonderful, too much so for mere words.

And to the both of them, they felt as if they were one, simply by this time of silent togetherness and every moment they've had like it before.

After a few minutes, Katara let out a warm, light laugh. "How dare you, Aang...making me want to stay in this spot, after I've whined about wanting to move all day."

He breathed an airy chuckle against her cheek and continued peppering her with kisses as he replied. "You wouldn't have moved anyway. This way I just make it better."

"Mmmh," she murmured with a shiver in her spine as his lips moved down toward her ear and his massaging hand crept up her arm and into her voluminous sleeve. "Okay, I admit that this _is _better," she acquiesced, her voice akin to a purr, which made his heart jump.

"Good," he said, and she could feel his smile playing on her skin. On her swollen abdomen, his hand found hers and intertwined their fingers. "Don't worry so much. You'll have better days than this, you know you will. But today, just rest…" he paused and kissed along her jaw line, "…With me…" his voice was steadily lowering in her ear, "…And let me help you."

Katara had no more will left to combat his reasoning. She was with him, at peace…where she wanted to be from the beginning. Briefly, the Waterbender berated herself for even doubting it all. _I can handle it._

And once that was accepted, she let it all go, and happily fell into her husband's tender assistance. Eventually, she drifted into a long, peaceful nap with him on the couch, until she felt like moving again (she felt as if she'd go crazy if she went any longer without a bath…and he only leaped at her coy invitation to help with that as well).

Her pregnancy had many ups, and many downs, and some hurdles that she barely jumped.

But at least she was secure in the faith that Aang was there to catch her.


	26. And Then There Were Two

((AN: Woo, another new story for this collection. I know, finally, right? xP

This one is an idea that I'd toyed with for ages, but was just procrastinating on it until now: Aang and Katara's reactions when Tenzin is discovered to be an Airbender. I know, it's short, but I think that I conveyed all the emotion that I needed and wanted to in this little story anyway. x3 This is something that I would actually love to see in canon. Aang would be much more than ecstatic, I think, when one of his own children turns out to be another Airbender. But, Aang would be a good father anyway no matter what they turn out to be. =3

Hope it's enjoyed!

Everything here is not owned by me, but by Mike and Bryan.))

* * *

Before Aang's first child was born, but when it was still developing in Katara's womb, he often spent ages musing about what kind of person it would someday be. Would the child look more like him, or Katara, or a little of both? Will he lean towards his father's calm and youthful disposition, or have his mother's grounded and serious nature?

And what if he turned out to be a bender? He would love it if he had given Katara a little Waterbender of her own to teach. And then the possibility of an Airbender…oh, how his heart often leaped at the prospect. Someone for _him_ to teach…to watch his flesh and blood soar into the clouds with him…someone to show him that he was no longer the last of his kind.

Of course, he couldn't try to expect too much out of this child…however it turned out, bending or no, he would love it all the same, for it was _his _beloved son or daughter; his and Katara's. No matter what, he would have all he'd ever dared to dream of having: a family, to love and cherish.

And so, after Tenzin had made it into the world, to say that Aang had fallen in love with the tiny bundle of life was quite mildly accurate. He was always ready to be of all the help he could, be as perfect a father as he wanted, tripping over his own feet at times to respond to the baby's shrill cry (often much to Katara's amusement, before she'd assured him that things were under control).

Yes, often times the nights were restless, and there was so much to get used to, and to worry about…but every time he could hold his own child and look at his face, with those blinking and wandering gray eyes, all troubles were forgotten. All thoughts of what he _could_ be were only ghosted over in his mind. He was there, he was his own, and they had all the time in the world to find out.

* * *

It was a mild autumn day at the Southern Air Temple. The previous summer's heat still lingered in the wind, fighting for its place, but the nightly chill always prevailed over it. It was long time for the seasonal changes…time for the elemental power to shift from Fire to Air.

Still, it made for a reasonable day to be outside, watching the orange and gold leaves fall from the trees along the Temple gardens. And for Aang, any day to be home, not having any tedious Avatar duties to perform was a perfect day to be with his family. That afternoon after lunch, he was sitting in the grass near one of the courtyards, with a two-year-old Tenzin and an ever-protective Appa as his only company; other than the occasional curious lemur.

The nomad smiled as he held a ball of air aloft over his son's head. Every time the captivated boy reached for it, only to have it pulled out of his reach, he'd bleat in shrill laughter.

"You definitely have some Air Nomad in you," Aang mused with a laugh. "You're always happy to play, aren't you little guy?"

"Pwaaaaay! Heehee!" the child replied with a giggle. His father had to grin; Tenzin was growing quickly, and learning to speak just as fast. Soon enough, too soon for Aang's liking, he'd be all grown up. His birthday was even a few weeks ago; while the Airbender liked to keep to his people's tradition of celebrating any autumn birthday in one huge event on the Equinox, Katara had made it a point to record the exact day of Tenzin's arrival into the world. Either way was fine for Aang, but he would have to at least teach his son more about the Air Nomad half of his heritage.

For now, it was enough to watch him growing as any child should, living as happily as Aang himself had ever wanted to do. He'd promised himself that Tenzin shouldn't feel like the child who'd only be known for having the Avatar for a father.

After a few moments, the two-year-old got up on shaky legs and started after one of the lemurs. The chattering creature flew around his head and higher into the sky, leading him on with a striped tail. Whenever Tenzin fell over, he'd only get back up again, undeterred and focused on the objective before him. _I can see your mother's stubbornness in there too, _Aang snickered as he followed the energetic child to where Appa was lying in the sun.

Hearing the approaching noises, the bison flicked his ears and opened one eye to the disturbances, only to find a tiny human flop on the end of his giant black nose with a giggle.

Aang spared his gargantuan friend an apologetic grin as he caught up with his son and picked him up. "Sorry about that, buddy," the Avatar soothed, his free hand running through the fur on Appa's head. "Seems the little guy wants to rush around today."

Still, the bison simply gave a light-hearted huff and nudged the two of them with his nose. When he'd seen Tenzin for the first time, Appa was quite curious; but Aang could feel the bison opening his heart to the child all the same. The beast was gentle, never too loud, never too intimidating, and was ever-patient when he was used as a bed or a big plaything. Both parents trusted the Avatar's animal guide with everything they had, for he would never be anything but the best of guardians for their family; and in Appa's mind, it was as if he could see his master's very spirit within him…an otherworldly harkening back to the Air Nomad legacy.

Aang could sense his good friend's feelings. Looking down at Tenzin as he extended his hands to rub on Appa's forehead, a sad smile formed on the monk's face. _I only wish Appa wasn't the last of his kind, too. More sky bison would truly start the path to rebuilding my people's world; and would really make him happy as much as my son makes me happy._ He sighed. _Still…I guess it'll only be enough to hope._

With a chuckle, Aang sat a giggling Tenzin on the creature's head. "That reminds me; I'm gonna have to show you how to fly Appa someday. Wanna learn to fly?"

Tenzin's answer was a pause, as he stopped pulling on Appa's fur for a second. His nose scrunched, and he let loose a loud sneeze…which promptly sent him flying in the other direction.

"Whoa!" Aang exclaimed as he sprinted off after his son, using a short Airbending blast from his foot to snatch him out of midair before he started falling over the mountainside.

As the Air Nomad drifted back to earth, sighing in relief, he was staring wide-eyed at the dubious toddler. "Did you just do what I think you did…?"

His answer was another sneeze. Aang felt the momentum from the blast trying to knock him off his feet and force a breeze through his clothes.

_…That was NOT a regular sneeze._ _Could it be true…?_

Holding his son up, Aang searched his eyes, as if looking for the answer within him. But he only saw a pair of wide gray irises focusing back on the father, in wonder at what was going on…though it was more likely he only wanted to keep playing.

Watching him though, with something of a new reverence, Aang _knew_ that what he saw was real. Tenzin had just demonstrated the most basic, most telling act of Airbending, just a year shy of the age that it would have normally appeared.

"Oh, by the Spirits…" Aang murmured and cast a glance to Appa, who also suddenly seemed interested. "Appa…did you just see that? Did…he _did._" The nomad turned back to a grinning Tenzin, about ready to burst at the seams with glee himself. "You _did,_ didn't you? You just Airbended…!"

Then, holding the child tight, he took off from the garden like a shot towards the interior of the Temple.

"Katara…! _Katara!"_

* * *

Back inside the temple, Katara hummed an obscure tune to herself as she kept busy, washing a few articles of clothing and blankets. With Aang looking after Tenzin, it was enough to enjoy a small break from parenting. Every so often though, the Waterbender liked to imagine that they were having such fun. _I doubt there's ever been a dad quite like Aang, _she chuckled mirthfully.

But the musings about her son and husband wouldn't be in her mind for much longer.

SLAM! "ACK! Katara! Oh, feathers...oof…"

Startled, she whirled on her feet toward where she'd heard the door flying open and Aang's voice calling her name. Her heart was racing, as always ready for any sudden danger. But she calmed down with minor irritation at the sight before her.

The Airbender lay on the floor, panting, as if he'd been running the entire length of the Temple looking for her (which he had, as a matter of fact). Tenzin, with a hearty chirp of "Mama!" upon seeing Katara, wriggled out of his exhausted father's arms to hobble toward her.

"Okay…" she quirked an eyebrow as she knelt to take the baby. "Aang, what in the…?"

"Tenzin!" Aang interrupted swiftly, still panting through each word as he stood up, eyes wide. "Katara, he…Ten…Airbending…our son…_my_ son…!"

"Aang, calm down!" Katara ordered, laughing. "One word at a time. What about Tenzin?"

Turning his back for a moment, Aang straightened up and took a few deep breaths. When he turned around again, he still looked as if he was trying to contain a good amount of euphoria; his eyes twinkled, and that familiar grin took over his face. There was even a small spring in his step as he spoke.

"Katara; our son is an Airbender."

She froze. The words barely registered in Katara's mind as she looked from Aang to Tenzin and back again, mouth agape. "Wh…really? An Airbender?"

_"Yes!"_ he exclaimed in a breath of laughter. "He is! I saw it!"

"Are you sure?" her head tilted, just as much wanting to believe the news as he was. "What'd he do?"

He grinned again. "You remember when we first met, and I sneezed, and flew about fifteen feet in the air?"

"Yeah?"

"He did that."

Blinking, Katara looked back to the two-year-old in her arms as he pawed at her hair loops. "He...what…"

"It's true…he did it twice. Nobody but an Airbender could ever do that." Aang laughed again and lowered his gaze. As Katara observed her husband, he seemed to calm down a little more, to the point that his breaths became deeper and forced. When he raised his eyes again, they were glistening with unshed tears, his smile unwavering. "Katara…I'm not the last one anymore."

The Waterbender felt her heart welling with emotion, seeing the light in his eyes when he said that; and she felt his happiness, his hope, raising his spirit as he repeated those words and shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not the last one…I'd always hoped, and now…"

He felt her approach and take him into an embrace with one arm, while the other held their son between them. Overcome, he hugged them both tightly, until the toddler squirmed and tugged at his father's robes.

Pulling away, Aang wiped the tears from his eyes and beheld all he had in his arms; Katara, the love of his life…Tenzin, his own child, and another Airbender besides…

His wife read the expression in his eyes and gently caressed his cheek with her fingers. "You've been wishing for this for so long, Aang…you don't know how happy I am for you. The future of Airbending might yet be saved."

"It's not just that," he sighed happily. "I've _so_ much to be thankful for, more than I ever thought I'd have, after everything that's happened to me. It was enough that I'd had you, and then our son…now…"

"I know," she soothed, smiling warmly as she set a squirming Tenzin down at their feet to embrace him properly. "You don't even have to say it. And I knew that it would happen, I just knew. The spirits wouldn't have denied you this, after everything you've had to do."

He laughed quietly. "Maybe. But I think I have _you _to thank, as much as the spirits."

"Are you kidding? You know I'm more than happy to have children with you; even a whole slew of Airbenders," she snickered.

"I still think that at least a few of them should be Waterbenders," he argued and laughed along with her before pulling away to watch the toddler toy with a sock from the wash basket. "Still…an Airbender. Wow…" Then, he widened his eyes, and slapped his forehead. "Oh _man…!"_

"What?" Katara's eyebrows rose.

Aang snorted. "I should've bet someone money."

She laughed. "You'd _bet_ on our kid's bending abilities?"

"You'd bet for a Waterbender, don't deny it," he accused with a grin.

"I would _not…_"

"Uh-huh, right…"

"Enough of that," Katara playfully spat as she turned around to pick Tenzin up again. "Time to give my little Airbender a bath, anyway."

"No!" the child argued suddenly. "No bath!"

"Sorry, Sweetie, you're all dirty," she argued back and poked his nose. "Now c'mon."

"No, Mama, no bath!" He reached over her shoulder as she walked away with him, humming smugly. "Daddy!"

"Sorry, can't help you; Mom's in charge," Aang grinned toothily at his son and waved.

When they retreated into the washroom, the father shook his head and started off toward one of the meditation chambers; if he did have the spirits to thank, it would have been a good place to start.

But he hadn't taken two steps before he heard a sudden, loud "WA-CHOO!" followed by a screeching yelp and the sound of something falling and splashing. Startled, Aang rushed back to the washroom and peered inside.

Water was strewn all over the stone floor, having been splattered from inside the full tub…in which a still-fully-dressed Katara was lying, drenched, hair covering her face; and where an underwear-clad Tenzin was sitting on her stomach, laughing like crazy and clapping at his sudden feat of sneezing his mother off her feet and into the tub.

Groaning and sputtering, Katara reached up to pull the hair from her face and send a glare toward her husband, who was trying his hardest not to double over himself.

"Well," she coughed, "Yeah. He's an Airbender, alright." An indignant smirk crossed her features. "Guess he gave _me_ a bath instead."

It was too much for Aang, who clutched his sides and exploded in laughter for a few moments before hurrying to help his wife out of the tub and to bend all the water that had been displaced.

"That's my boy," he grinned proudly to Tenzin, who only beamed back in response and kept up his clapping.

In his son's eyes, the Avatar could indeed see the spirit of the Air Nomads reborn…he could feel the Spirits of the Air rejoicing, and he could hear the combined good-natured laughter of monks long departed from the world.

Just by being himself, Tenzin couldn't have made Aang more proud. But for a budding Airbender all his own, he couldn't deny that another level of pride and hope had indeed been added to his family. And he couldn't think of anything more to ask for.


	27. Confessions

((AN: Yep, new story for this series. :3 I hope this one's okay; I worked somewhat fast on it, as I wanted to churn out a little something for you guys before I went on vacation for a few days. xP

This little chapter features the triplets again, and a rather curious Tenzin wondering about the Air Nomads. It's a given, perhaps, that the new generation of kids would have to be told the history of what happened at some point in time, and you'd have to wonder at their reactions to it.

The idea for this one was suggested to me by one of my favorite reviewers, Somariel; thanks, you're as usual quite awesome, and yes, I'll also work on a sort-of-sequel for this one in the form of Zuko getting some FAQs thrown at him by these curious young'ns. They're so fun to write, especially the little ones. xP

So, enjoy, everyone, and seeya when I get back!

Mike and Bryan own all, see all, know all, and OWN YOUR VERY SOULS.))

* * *

A warm updraft seemed to erupt from a spot somewhere below the mountain, heated by the late spring sun on the gray-brown peaks of the Patola Range…and a novice Airbender on his glider could feel it as he crossed through the cloud-strewn sky above the Southern Air Temple.

Tenzin smiled as he caught the thermal and directed the wind, letting it carry him higher and higher into the atmosphere. Below and all around, the jagged rocks and rare green valleys beheld him…and to his left, the mighty sight of the rebuilt temple loomed like an ever-present guardian, never out of his sight, beckoning him close.

Ever since he learned to fly on his glider, a nearly-perfect replica of those crafted by the Air Nomads of yore and given as a birthday present by his father, Tenzin's spirit seemed to feel complete. It tasted the wind of the sky and allowed him to command the breeze effortlessly at will from the start. Every flight was a great experience…he was embracing freedom as Airbenders were meant to.

At ten years old, he wasn't yet the master that his father was…or even had been at his age. But he was content at the pace he was learning, and Aang had made sure to never make him feel like he had to rush. But he was, however, becoming more persistent at learning anything he wished to. He was perceptive for his age, with a nigh unfailing memory and a wide inquisitive streak…and stubbornness to match. If something seemed wrong to him, he'd never fail to find out why.

But today actually seemed rather perfect to the young Airbender as he let the thermal carry him lazily above the mountain peaks and allowed him to glide down into a niche carved into the Air Temple's rock.

It was there at the end of a polished stone walkway where a shallow pool was located; probably once a bathing area for the monks, now only used by this little family of the Avatar's that called it home. The ruined stone around the area in the niche suggested that once the pool had been inside a small chamber, though now instead it was nestled outdoors within a few streams of sunlight; still it was private enough to use as a bath, being on the secluded side of the mountain. It was fed by a spring and a gentle trickling waterfall, and as Tenzin tightened his grip and sped head-on inside with a short flip to slow him down, he saw the rest of his kin gathered there.

Katara was kneeling in shin-deep water on one side, trying to wash his little sibling's hair as the boy squirmed every so often. A closer look revealed the pale three-year-old to be Khandro; one of a set of triplets. He looked much like a smaller version of Aang, with jet-black hair, and yet with the wide blue eyes of his mother.

The other brother, Tamoka, was sitting on the bank and playing with any orbs of water that he managed to conjure out of the pool to play with; presumably he'd either been washed already or was awaiting his turn. He was darker in skin tone, matching Katara more, but with Aang's hair and eyes. To cement his differences, he was the only Waterbender yet in the entourage of the Avatar's children.

The third child, a girl by the name of Kya, could be heard giggling in her high-pitched way as their father carefully held her on the surface, watching her try to swim and smiling when she managed to keep herself afloat. She matched Tenzin's skin tone well, which was a rather perfect mix from their parents. Her eyes were gray, her hair a darker brown, but otherwise she was growing into a spitting image of Katara.

Tenzin smiled as he buzzed over the pool, inciting a few giggles from the captivated children and amused looks from his parents. He loved his younger siblings; such personalities they had already, and they all very much adored him in return. It was hard to ask for a better family, he often thought.

"Hey, Tenzin," Aang waved in greeting once his oldest son landed expertly by the pool and flipped the glider closed. "How was the flight today?"

"It was _awesome,"_ the boy grinned and settled cross-legged by the edge of the pool. "I found a thermal and rode it _waaaay_ over the Temple. Man, I never get tired of flying."

"Spoken like a true Airbender," his father chuckled, carefully letting Kya go to splash around. "I'll probably try and find that thermal myself later."

As the little girl got her swimming legs, she quickly scrambled through the water toward her older brother. "Ten-Ten!" she chirped, "P'ay wif me!"

As Aang let out an "Aww" in the background, Tenzin snickered and reached down to ruffle her hair. "In a sec, Kya, I don't wanna get wet yet."

"Well, I hope you'll take a bath at some point today," Katara said as she finished rinsing Khandro's head and bent a water tendril to deposit him on the bank. She had to use it to grab Tamoka for his turn (with a loud squeal of "Mama!" in protest), and spared a quick grin toward Tenzin. "You've been out all morning."

"I'll take one in a minute," he waved dismissively and lounged backward. "I've just been flying. There's no dirt in the air."

"Not much dirt in mountain air, true," Aang agreed, and then gave him a rather sneaky smirk. "But you _do_ have a few bugs in your hair."

"Wh…AAH! Oh crud oh crud BUGS _get 'em off_!" a startled Tenzin yelped upon feeling a crawling sensation on his scalp, and instantly flung himself under the waterfall without bothering to disrobe first.

Aang fell backward into the water in laughter, and Katara joined in while trying to subdue her Waterbending son. "And that's how you get a stubborn Airbender to wash up."

"Not funny," Tenzin spat as he hobbled back toward the bank and started to remove his wet clothes.

"Speaking of hair, Aang," Katara grunted with a laugh as she started to comb through Tamoka's, "Your sons definitely have yours. They're always so unkempt and knotted up."

"Funny, and here I thought I kept my hair tidy enough when I had it," he shot back and playfully stuck out his tongue.

"After I taught you how to wash it," she retorted.

"Did you ever actually _have_ hair much, Dad?" Tenzin incredulously inquired once he was ready to step into the pool. "Other than the time you told me you went around disguised in the Fire Nation."

Aang pretended to think for a second. "Maybe for a few minutes after I was born," he chuckled. "I'll grow hair if I have to on rare occasions, but I still prefer to keep it shaved." He ran his hand over his bare scalp. "It's how I was brought up. Even _if_ your mother liked the hair," he smirked sideways toward his wife, who only sent a sardonic "ha-ha" right back.

Tenzin shrugged. "Yeah, I know it's an old Airbender thing; but I think I'll keep my hair, thanks."

"You would have had to shave it off anyway, once you got your arrows," Aang pointed out with a smile. "Like you may have to someday."

That made the boy pause. "Okay, but only then," he finally concluded.

"I'm a little curious about that, actually," Katara hummed and released Tamoka to play with the rest of his siblings. She set her eyes curiously on Aang, and her gaze unconsciously traced his arrows—as was a habit of hers since the day she'd met him (even though now she knew _exactly_ where they all went). "Why don't you enlighten me and all of our little Airbenders just what's involved in getting arrows?"

The monk chuckled and quirked an eyebrow. "My dear Katara, you'd be so bold as to ask me to tell you one of the most sacred secrets of the Air Nomads?"

The Waterbender straightened herself, looking as prim as he was. "I _would_ be so bold as to ask, my dear Aang, knowing that I will get my answer anyway."

"True, my love, very true," the Airbender acquiesced, barely catching Tenzin's dramatic false gagging at the sight of his parents' silly display of affection. Aang laughed. "It's all easy, actually. Once you passed all of the tests in the mastery of Airbending, you were treated to a ceremony, asking the Air Spirits to accept and bless you. The very next morning, with the masters and elders all present, you were given a special mixture in a drink that put you straight to sleep. The entire day, maybe even well into another, would be spent putting the arrows into your skin.

"I won't lie; it's not pleasant after you wake up, especially when you're just a kid, like I was." He grimaced briefly. "I was about your age, actually, Ten. But once you heal, and you see yourself permanently marked as a master of your craft, it would have been worth it; masters wore them with honor and pride."

"Neat," Tenzin commented with a short grin before looking off to the side, "Don't think I like the idea of the pain, though."

"So who actually did the tattooing?" Katara inquired with her head tilted.

Aang hummed. "I think one of the Elders did. Any of the Masters also knew how, when they wanted to learn; doing the process patiently and doing it _right_ was a whole breach of training on its own."

"Daddy's a'ows are p'etty an'…an' blue!" Kya happened to add, inserting herself into the conversation with a giggle as she grabbed her father's hand. "I wan' 'em!"

"That's too cute," Aang laughed and picked her up to tickle her on the nose. "Maybe when you completely learn Airbending, Peach-face."

"Poo."

"Anyway," the Avatar spoke above his family's snickering as they had gathered around him in the pool, "Whoever the tattoo artist was, they had to be carefully chosen. The arrows mimic the markings of the Sky Bison, like Appa, our most sacred animals. They had to have been blessed and sanctioned by the Circle of Elders, or else they would have been seen as unworthy to bestow such an honor upon a new Master."

It was then that Aang paused. He seemed to have come to a startling realization, for his eyes widened and lips pursed thoughtfully. And then, his gaze took on a haunted, faraway stare.

His young siblings were too preoccupied with their water games to notice the change in his demeanor…but Tenzin did. His head tilted curiously toward his father as he let out his held breath in a long sigh. And Katara too watched him with concern; she could only guess, and accurately so, what was going through her beloved's mind.

"Actually," Aang continued, "I keep forgetting that things are so different now. There's nobody around anymore who'd know the rituals needed for tattooing the arrows."

Katara hummed softly. "Could someone be taught, though? You're technically one of the Masters, Aang, and the Avatar besides. You could sanction someone who'd be willing."

He shook his head. "That's the thing. I was never taught the rituals."

"Why?" Tenzin put in. "You were a Master, right?"

"Yes," he drew with uncertainty in his tone, "But I was still never taught. I used to think that maybe I was just too young to know of the ceremony." He sighed. "Then I found out I was the Avatar later, and that's all the Elders focused on for me. I guess…" his voice grew sad, "I guess they never thought that I would have needed to."

_But they'd never know how wrong they were._

That same thought passed through both of his parents' minds, while Tenzin could only witness the exchange with a small amount of confusion. And somehow, he was quite sensitive to the hurt they were sharing. Perhaps it had been the Airbending spirit in him, mourning for the past, the brethren that the child would never know…except of course for the sole remaining exception. For his father.

Whatever the reason, the will to question and seek out answers long held back from him became a foremost thought in his mind; but he couldn't bring himself to ask just yet.

Their parents mostly conversed among themselves after that, and Tenzin found himself drifting a little way from them as they did, taking the triplets with him. But every so often he'd still listen in on what they'd said.

"Anyway," Aang had continued, "I could probably learn it from one of the texts in the library now, and yeah, I could teach it to someone…but it would just feel like I was altering something sacred. It would be wrong."

Katara understood his plight; at least as much as she could from how he'd acted before. There was a part of Aang that would always live 100 years in the past…a part of his mind that would never get used to how things have changed or accept it. And when it came to his people, asking him to accept any changes to their ways would have been like asking him to completely release his grasp on all that he knew. His volatile reactions to the Northern Air Temple was all the proof she'd needed to remind her of that.

"Well…" she tentatively started and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I don't see the harm in making a new tradition for marking a Master. Something that'd just be between you and your sons and daughter, when the time comes."

Aang nodded slowly after a tense pause. "Maybe. Avatar Yangchen once told me that if the Air Nomads hadn't disappeared, their culture would have evolved just like the other Nations did, even with just certain pieces of it. People and cultures evolve with time; just like Nature does. Gyatso said that too. I guess…" he closed his eyes. "Maybe it's time I evolved."

_You've already done a lot of that,_ Katara thought with a small smile, _you accept the reality of things more easily than you ever have._

"Aang," The Airbender felt her warm palm on his face, tenderly pulling his head around to face her. "Evolving doesn't mean complete change, you know. It means gradual change, for the better. You can keep old traditions that are close to you, and still make new ones that would fit the future Airbenders. Remember what I said once, about you being the _first_ Air Nomad now? I just want you to think and do what is best for our children, and grandchildren, and so on. And I know that no matter what, it will be the right thing to do."

He allowed himself a small smile at the memory. "You seem so sure."

"It's all I know," she answered, flattening her hand on his chest over his heart. "The Air Nomads of the past still live on in your spirit, and Tenzin's, and every one of us; but I think they would understand your reasons, and stand behind you. The past couldn't be helped. What you do _now_ is what matters."

"I know," he whispered, gratefully pulling her hands to his lips. "Thank you, Katara. I'll think about it, anyway."

His wife, as an answer, leaned in and kissed him back. It was soft and brief, but he felt the sincerity behind the action.

She pulled away with a loving smile. "For now though…I think the best thing for all of our little benders is to keep them clean for just a few minutes," she snickered.

As if on cue, there was a loud splash at the other end of the pool. _"'Mokaaaa!"_ Khandro could be heard whining as he was water-bombed by his rambunctious brother. "Stoppit!"

"I don't think that'll be an issue," Aang laughed. "At least until they get out of the pool."

The family spent the rest of the evening hiding from the heat of the day, teaching the triplets to swim and watching some fancy Waterbending courtesy of their parents.

But all the while, even caught up in the mirth, Tenzin still couldn't shake the feelings of uncertainty in his mind from the conversations…the hushed words about the disappearance of the Air Nomads, and the glimpse of a forlorn spirit he'd caught in his father's eyes.

* * *

It was during their evening meditation that Tenzin had decided.

With Katara back inside with the triplets, Aang and his son sat quietly upon the Temple's many rooftops facing the sunset. The breeze was calm even along the harrowing mountain slopes below, and all was silent, except for a watchful Appa browsing for tree fruit nearby. The small troops of lemurs who called the rebuilt Temple home were getting ready to sleep, and not much more than a chirp was heard from the mischievous creatures.

The sun was warm on their faces. Their eyes were closed as they breathed the air evenly in their lungs, minds cleared…or so it appeared with Tenzin. Outside he seemed calm enough. Inside, he stewed on the questions that he wanted answered. "Ohm…" he chanted every little bit to keep himself focused.

Soon enough, he heard his father let out a long exhale as a signal to the meditation's end. When the boy's eyes opened, the sun had fully set in the far horizon before them, framed with jutting mountain peaks.

Aang turned to his son with a smile, only to notice the pensiveness in his calm expression.

He placed his hand on the child's back in reassurance. "Something you wanna talk about, little guy?"

Despite himself, Tenzin smirked. "You're gonna have to stop calling me that at _some_ point, Dad."

"Maybe," the Avatar laughed. "I can't stop you from growing up, but you're still _always_ gonna be my little guy." He playfully fluffed his hair. "Now, what's bugging you?"

"Well…I just have a question." Tenzin let in a long breath and sighed, looking his father straight in the eyes. "What_…_what _exactly _happened to the Air Nomads?"

The older Airbender's expression fell at the unexpected inquiry, and he said nothing for a few seconds. Still, the inquisitive child pressed on. "I know everyone says that they disappeared a long time ago. But that's all they ever say. 'They disappeared', or 'That's something you're not old enough to know yet'. Why is that? Every time it's mentioned, you get this sad look, like you're doing right now. I know there's more than that. And I'll _know_ what it is someday anyway."

Aang met his son's determined eyes again, and in his expression, he could see where Katara had given him her stubborn nature. He was, after all, half Water Tribe, and that side of him never skirted around the important issues as the other side was known to do.

"You're right," the father gently assented, "You would find out what it was, someday. I…just never told you because I didn't know how you would take it. The story is too sad; too painful."

"I thought so," Tenzin nodded, "But I never knew the Air Nomads. You _did_. I think I have a right to know everything, right? What happened, Dad?"

Aang couldn't find much of an argument to his son's reasoning. "It won't be a happy story. But if you really want to know, so be it." He nodded and straightened up, his demeanor serious.

"It was about 130 years ago that it happened. You know how the world was at war with the Fire Nation before I put a stop to it?"

Tenzin nodded, and Aang continued. "The war actually started around that time. It was when the reigning Fire Lord at the time, Sozin, used a comet to make the Firebenders stronger…just like Ozai tried to do. Except…there was nobody to stop Sozin from doing what he'd meant to do. He'd taken out the Avatar before me. Then, he used the comet to deal the first deadly strike against the other Nations."

The boy's eyes widened, having already guessed at the answer. "…And the first strike…was…?"

"Against the Air Nomads." Aang's eyes closed. "He and his armies destroyed all of the temples…and wiped us out. And then the rest were hunted down or lured out of hiding, until it was well and truly certain that no Airbenders were left." He chuckled ironically. "Except for me, of course. I was lucky, in a way."

Even though Aang had tried to soften the events somewhat, Tenzin shivered as he turned his gaze to the masonry upon which they sat. Almost reverently, he ran his fingers over the stone…stone belonging to an ancient race, long before their little family had ever decided to settle there.

"So…" he softly began, "The Airbenders were all killed…by the Fire Nation?"

Aang's nod was sad and slow. "Yes. Sozin wanted to catch the next Avatar…me…before I could be of any sort of threat. So he tore through my people to do it."

Tenzin didn't know what to say at first. He hung his head in thought, and several more questions ran through his mind from his father's heart-rending answer. He wondered how anyone in the world could have been so cold and evil…and he understood in part what his parents had to go through to save the world. They were up against forces that any normal human being would have run screaming from.

"And that's the truth," Aang murmured to break the silence. "I was the only Airbender left. Until you and Khandro and Kya were born," he smiled. "It's one of the most important things in the world to me, to teach all of you the history of our culture, and find ways to keep its knowledge in the world."

Tenzin nodded. "That's what you were sad about earlier. That…maybe I won't get my arrows after all?"

Aang paused, and then shook his head. "Probably not. But, there will be a way for you to still be acknowledged as a Master, when the time comes and you're ready for it. All of you."

The child smiled lightly. "I can live with that."

"I figured you would," Aang chuckled and stood up. "We should go back inside; your mom might have dinner ready…Oh, use your Airbending to get back on your feet," he ordered suddenly. "You still have to learn to make your skills as second-nature as breathing."

"Sorry, Sifu Dad," Tenzin snickered and did as told, using a whirlwind from under his feet to lift him upward in a bit of a flourish. The two Airbenders bowed to one another as a completion of their evening of training, before making their way back down the mountain.

After a while, the boy spoke up. "There are some other things that still bug me though."

"What's that?" Aang regarded him curiously.

"Well, the first thing…I know it's really important that me and my brother and sister are Airbenders, and that you wanna teach us to master it…but…we're all the last ones out of your whole nation. Everyone in the world likes us because we're Airbenders, and the Avatar's kids_._ What if we _weren't_? Would we even still be that important?"

His inquisitive statement made the father halt in his tracks. He turned and knelt before Tenzin, holding his shoulders in a gentle grip and instantly meeting his eyes.

"Of _course _you would. I want you to remember something, son." His gaze was imploring, and serious, but his voice quiet. "It doesn't matter what the world thinks of you. But you and your brothers and sister _are_ the whole world to me and your mother. Even if none of you were benders…even if we'd _never_ have any Airbenders…we would love you all the same. I don't love Tamoka any less because he's a Waterbender, and your mother doesn't love you, Khandro, and Kya any less for being Airbenders. And I hope you realize that, and never, _ever_ think that we'd treat you otherwise."

He smiled and let go of him. "You are all blessed; not for being benders, but for just existing, and being ours."

Tenzin had nothing to say to that. His answer was a little choked-up whimper, as he held his head bowed to hide the tears forming in his eyes by his father's sincere declaration. It was still noticed by Aang, who pulled the boy into a warm embrace and held him until the tears stopped, receiving a tight hug from him in return.

When they started walking again, Tenzin was smiling, satisfied. He at last knew what had happened, though it had given him so much more to think about, and to understand. But all that, he knew, would come in time. And he also knew that despite what harrowing pressure his very heritage seemed to bring, it would never be as important as what he truly was.

"So, you had another question?" Aang said with a slight smirk to the uplifted boy.

"Oh!" his eyes widened, having been reminded. "Yeah. If the Fire Nation was evil before, would they _still_ probably do evil things?"

"I doubt it," the Avatar chuckled. "Fire Lord Zuko is the one ruling the Nation now, and he's been working for ages on making it a safe place among the world again. Some people there might not like the way things are going now, but that's not gonna stop him from keeping the peace. And really, the Fire Nation was never evil…they were just after all the wrong goals."

"What kinda goals?" Tenzin blinked. "Why would they wanna do what they did? Destroy things and all."

Aang shrugged with a smile. "There's not just one answer to that. I imagine you'll have to ask Zuko next time."

Tenzin nodded after a pause, taking that as his simple answer. _I've got a lot of questions for him too, anyway. He never did tell me where he got that big scar._


	28. Sides

((AN: This is more or less just another short, cute, funny little crackity drabble. I remembered an episode of The Cosby Show with a scene similar to this one that I thought would actually make a funny idea. Katara's got many sides, too, depending on the reaction she needs to show. x3

Hope y'all enjoy, and I hope that I'll find the motivation to try updating The Comet's Wake while I'm at it. xP

Everything, except for the random side characters I make up to be made fun of, belongs to Mike and Bryan. x3))

* * *

However tedious, boring, and stuffy that the meetings with the Council of Nations and the various royals often were, Katara had to admit one thing to herself whenever she was present with her husband at any formal event: she loved watching him.

The Waterbender would of course always know and love him for what he was under the Avatar cloak and mask. He was a child at heart, playful and quick to joke, always up for running around with his youngsters in his free time and with just as much energy as they had. And he was also a tender lover; very rare were the nights that left her without a warm glow when they slept in each other's arms, his words of adoration for her hardly tiring or hardly matched. And she would always be grateful to the fates that she was the only woman to ever know all sides of him.

But when he had to take up his duties to the world, and face the stern-hearted officials whose eyes watched him like those of a hawk every waking moment, she had also learned to admire the side of him that accepted his role with a stoic demeanor and a mind of wisdom beyond his years. After all, she had helped him to face that side of himself more times than she could remember in their youth during the war…and she was proud of him for how strategic he placed his plans for the world's rebuilding, how forcefully he executed his ayes or nays on matters of importance, and how he easily kept the attention of the councils. He could sound uncertain and on the edge of stuttering one second, and the next second use his matured, resonant voice to the fullest effect. The Avatar speaks…thus the world listens, woe betide otherwise.

Sometimes, when she watched him do so, she wondered how it was that he could use the same voice in _just_ the right low pitch in her ear to make her skin crawl.

There were sides to him she preferred over others, but she still loved each and every one; because she loved _him_.

It just so happened that she was pondering over that thought, one night during a party held after another long meeting. It was the night of the Summer Solstice in the Fire Nation, and Fire Lord Zuko was still seated at the head of the room with Mai, who looked rather bored as always while the rest of the nobles and their dates milled, danced, and ate all around below where they sat. The ruler himself was still speaking with some of his own advisors, and further toward his left, Aang was talking spiritual matters with the Fire Sages.

Katara, who normally would have been seated where the Avatar was, had been on her feet most of the night and instead had taken a quick break on one of the side benches near the head of the party, almost to the edge of the crowd. The Waterbender took a sip from the drink in her glass (a short sip at that…somehow, she didn't know _how_ they did it, but _somehow_ the caterers knew how to make a Fire Nation wine that was spicier than it was bitter or sweet. Still far too much so for her liking), and every so often her eyes wandered over the crowd before settling back on the Airbender at the nearest corner of the room.

She couldn't hear what he was saying over the murmur of the crowd, but from the way he stood and the gestures he made, it sounded like another one of his more important ideas for the Sages to tend to. A small, dreamy smile crossed her face nonetheless. The pride in her heart crept in again, which complemented how little goofy Aang had grown up to know the ins and outs of diplomacy…though she agreed with him on hating it all.

"He's a dream, isn't he?"

Blinking out of her besotted state, Katara turned to glance at the woman seated beside her who had spoken. It was nobody she knew, but from the way she was dressed, she was another Fire Nation noble; raven hair styled into a topknot while the rest lay down her neck in a short triangular cut, eyes a light shade of brown, and clothes cloaking her in deep shades of red.

She looked young, but the Waterbender guessed that she was within ten years shy of herself. Someone's wife, sister, daughter…someone important, considering how straight she carried herself. Katara was around enough nobility to know exactly how they all sat, walked, talked, and ate. Thanks to advanced lessons on manners from Toph and a few pointers from Mai, she also knew how to fit in well enough with such a crowd.

"Who do you mean?" Katara inquired curiously of the woman and took another dainty sip of her wine.

The corner of her lip curled upward in amusement. "Come now; I could see exactly where your eyes were set. The Avatar. Oh," the noble nearly swooned, "Not that anyone could blame you, of course. I watched him along with the other dignitaries in the meeting room. Such confidence! Such a _voice,_ such a commanding presence! That's a man above men. Were I not engaged, I'd sidle my way over there myself."

Katara fought against rolling her eyes. She'd long ago gotten used to hearing other women drool over her husband…that didn't mean, however, that she stopped disliking it.

She could make fun, though. Especially when she wasn't immediately recognized as his wife. And considering Katara was the only one dressed in all manner of Water Tribe blue garb among this sea of reds and oranges and some Earth Kingdom greens, she figured the girl to be somewhat inebriated or somewhat dense.

"Really," Katara hummed and nonchalantly let her gaze wander back to where Aang was still speaking. "You'd be out of luck though. He's married."

The woman dismissively waved her hand. "Yes, yes, I've heard that too. Still, married men can be charmed, and perhaps the Avatar no better."

Katara surprised herself at how well her composure kept at the woman's statement. _You'd think nobody would underestimate the Avatar on anything, even his heart. How could anyone think they know him the way I do?_

Out of curiosity, more so for how long it would take for her to be recognized, she continued to play herself out as another observer.

"How would you charm him, then?" Katara smirked conspiratorially. "I hear he's a hard one."

The Fire Nation noble giggled behind her hand and grinned back. "You want to know how _I_ would? Well…it wouldn't matter; I'm not one to cheat on my betrothed. But if I was _not_ betrothed, I assure you that feminine charms would do it. Get him flustered, and he's yours. It works on _all_ men."

The girl paused and took a longer sip from her glass. _Yep, inebriated,_ Katara decided, before speaking up herself. "Not on _all_ men. The Avatar's a strong soul, or so I heard. He's complicated. It'd take more than cheap flirting. You must know how to win his heart."

Quirking an eyebrow, the noble glanced back at her with a sneer now. "You seem to think you know so much, for someone from the Water Tribe. Do you so think that _you _could charm him?"

Katara fought against a wicked grin as an idea formed in her mind.

"I most certainly think I would," she declared evenly and confidently. "If you wish me to, I could go over right now and ask him out."

The girl gasped quietly and lowered her voice, leaning closer. "You're _mad!_ Lure the _Avatar_ out right now?"

"Indeed. Maybe out on a tryst."

Her eyes narrowed, mouth agape, and she crossed her arms. "I don't believe you."

Katara simply grinned further. "Watch me. I'll go over there and speak with him, and he'll be mine."

"Oh, you are _wicked,_" the girl snorted with amusement at the certain scandalous game about to unfold before her. "Alright then. Go, and I'll watch, and you'll see just how crazy you are."

"Maybe I _am_ crazy," Katara shrugged, "After all, he _is_ the Avatar. But I'm still pretty confident."

"Well then go, go!" the girl urged on in a hushed tone, making a shooing motion with her hands. "I must see this for myself."

"Alright," the Waterbender harrumphed and stood up, brushing herself off and turning straight toward where Aang stood.

Carefully, some distance behind, the Fire Nation woman followed after the crazy Water Tribe dignitary she'd just met as she continued striding straight to the front of the room, almost ignored by all eyes. The Avatar had finished speaking with the Sages once she was within earshot of the upcoming conversation.

As for Katara, she tried to keep in character to the best of her ability while fighting back a trickle of laughter. She came up and cleared her throat, catching Aang's attention. Before he could say anything to her, though, the Airbender saw a hint of playfulness and urgency in her eyes as she came up and bowed low.

_Play along._

"Avatar Aang," she said in her best "noble" voice upon meeting his gaze again, "I simply _must_ compliment you on your performance at the meeting today. You were quite commanding and," she smiled softly, "Handsome, dare I say."

With a bow and a smile back, Aang chuckled and took her outstretched hand. "Always happy to receive a compliment from a beautiful young woman," he replied and kissed the back of her fingers. "Wonderful party, isn't it?"

Katara was relieved that she certainly didn't need to fake her blush. "It is indeed. Rather crowded though."

"It gets like that," the Avatar shrugged one shoulder dismissively. "But it's better when you have good company." She saw a hidden twinkle in his eye. "By the way, your name…?"

"Oh, pardon my manners," Katara bowed her head again. "I'm a simple dignitary from the Water Tribe. But…" she smiled and leaned only _just _a little closer, enough to have the spying Fire Nation girl's breath catch in her throat. "Maybe we can discuss my name over a meal. And a dance, perhaps, outside on the balcony where it's quiet."

Aang grinned. "You're something of a forward young woman." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But a beautiful one. You know what? I accept."

Katara smiled widely. "I am honored that you do, my lord Avatar. And perhaps, after the dance…" her voice grew just a bit lower, "You can marry and have children with me."

She swore after that, somewhere in the crowd, she heard a loud gasp and a muffled squeak from her spy. _She HAS to be joking with him! Right? _Thought the Fire Nation woman.

The Airbender's eyes widened, and he feigned surprise. "Now that _is_ forward, my lady!" Then, he grinned, his voice also going a little lower as he took her hands in his and kissed the back of both. "But you know what? I accept _that_ as well."

"And again, my lord Avatar, I'm honored," Katara said with another bow as she came closer and leaned up to him, gently attaching her lips to his. He returned the kiss less than casually; taking a hold of her shoulders and making it linger for a few moments. And again, the smug Waterbender thought she heard a surprised squeal from within the crowd nearby.

Once they separated, she kept a tight hold on his hand. "Come with me then, if you are free," she smiled in feigned innocence.

The blushing Airbender chuckled. "My dear lady, for you, I'm _definitely _free."

With that, she tugged him along with her towards the back doors of the dance hall, past the crowd.

And as she did, she met the Fire Nation woman's utterly shell-shocked, open-mouthed look and winked.

The girl watched them leave, still speechless, slumping forward in a less-than-dignified manner…which was brought to her attention by her betrothed, who nudged her and laughed. "Quit your gawking, sweetheart. The Avatar and his wife are a fine sight, yes, but nothing to lose your posture over."

She whirled on the man, still wide-mouthed. "Wait. That was his _wife_ with him?"

"Indeed…that was Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

Only _then_ did it dawn on the girl. _Water Tribe dignitary._

The young woman smacked her forehead in her ignorance and pushed past the dubious man, blushing profusely. "I need another drink."

* * *

"So, what was all _that_ about?" Aang asked with a laugh, once the two of them had abandoned the noise of the party to stand in the silence of the night out on the balcony.

Katara laughed back. "Oh, nothing; I met another girl who was eyeing you."

"Really?" the Airbender blinked. "I hope you didn't threaten to freeze her to a wall like the last time."

His wife snorted. "C'mon, that was three years ago; and you _know_ I can behave myself now."

"I also know you still find ways to let out your jealousy," Aang playfully pointed out with a quirked eyebrow. "Tell me what you did this time."

"Oh, fine," she laughed. "She didn't know who I was. So I bet her that I could charm you right out here with me."

Aang snorted and crossed his arms. "Oho. See, you _still_ have a bad streak, Katara."

She snickered and leaned against him, looping her arm in his. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to make you the center of a bet. But, she thought that you'd be easily taken in by another woman. I _so_ much wanted to prove her wrong, and I guess I had too much fun messing with her head."

Her husband rolled his eyes and leaned back against her. "I guess your actions were noble, then," he quipped and affectionately nestled his cheek on the top of her head. "I'm glad you proved her wrong; that I'd be easily taken in by anyone is an insult to me, and to you. You're the only woman I'd allow myself to be charmed by, you know."

"I know," she smiled back, closing her eyes in bliss as the two of them rested on the balcony's edge, listening to the sounds of the night. "But, I hope _you_ know that I meant what I said. I like watching you speak to those diplomats. You're so confident."

He blushed and chuckled. "I'd rather just be myself."

Smiling, Katara reached up and took his face in her palm, turning him to face her. She kissed him again, this time with a little more lingering passion in her actions. Her nose rubbed his once she parted from him, and his eyes lovingly bore into hers.

"However you are, Aang," she murmured, "You're always yourself, and that's who I love."

His hand came up slowly behind her head and he kissed her back, just as softly, just as passionately. "Well then, Lady Katara," he smiled and bowed afterward, "Shall we have that dance?"

She grinned and bowed back, keeping their fingers laced together as they started their steps in tune with the muffled music back in the room. "Yes, let's."

And it was during their moments together, where they were nothing but themselves through and through, that Katara was reminded of the side of Aang she was fond of the most. And that was just _him,_ put together, all the same as he always was, and always would be.


	29. Transcended Love

((AN: Yay, another one of these. :3 Sadly though...perhaps it'll be one of the last in this collection before I close it...due to the new information released on The Legend of Korra (I'm -still- spazzing out over the trailer, it's -just that awesome-), most of these stories are hardly close to canon now...and I like to stick as close to it as possible, so I'll probably call this collection complete after I come up with one final story to make this an even 30 one-shots long. I'm glad that all of you have liked the stories, though, and I hope that it'll still remain in some of your favorites, as it still remains among my favorites to have worked on.

This one though, is just another thing I wrote in the time before the characters are even married, and they're just hangin' out...a good amount of fluff for you guys, mostly in celebration of Kataang Week...but also a story point that I'm sure has been done to death already, but that I still wanted to write my own take on. So, hope you enjoy. :3

Also, I know I've been kinda lax in my fanfictions lately, but that's because my writing muse has given me a new surge of inspiration to finish one of my long-standing original novels and flesh it out...maybe for publication. If anyone's interested in reading what original works I've done before, I'm also Singer of Time on Fictionpress dot com. Check 'em out if you wish. ^^

Good news though, finishing this bit will give me more time to work on Between the Pages and everyone's favorite, The Comet's Wake. =D It'll still be a bit of a long affair, finishing that story, but I'll still work it. Sooo, here's hopin' that goes. So have some lovey-dovey-kinda-naughty comfort-fluff, and happy Kataang Week.

Everything here belongs to Mike and Bryan, who are GODS OF TELEVISION. Srsly.))

* * *

_"WATER BOMB!"_

At the sound of the intense declaration from atop the rocks, Sokka grimaced, and the others around him whipped their heads up toward the waterfall with wide grins. There, a fifteen-year-old Aang took a running leap assisted with Airbending, scrunched into a ball, and rocketed downward into the deep pool of water at the base. "WOO-HOO!"

With a loud _BLOOSH, _the impact sent a mighty wave outward in all directions, splashing everyone sitting at the bank and lifting any swimmers straight out of the pool in one giant surge.

As everyone around him cackled in laughter and shook the water off, the Water Tribe warrior spat and snorted, a sigh escaping his lungs. _I swear…even after saving the world, he never grew up._

It was a beautifully warm day, deep in the Patola Mountain Range where the Southern Air Temple stood half-rebuilt. Aang had the fortune to many good, long breaks between his various Avatar duties, and those were spent on his old home.

True, he had many places to live, and anyone in the world would have taken the young Airbender into their house in an instant…but he'd still needed a place to call home for most times out of the year…a place to plant his roots, so to speak. After much deliberation from himself, he knew that at least one of the Air Temples was a good start. Being the only surviving Air Nomad, and thus an Elder Monk by all senses of the title (even the fact that his age numbered a hundred over his teenaged status), the fourth elemental Nation was all his territory to do with as he would.

And once he knew what to do, all of his friends had stood behind him in his decision. Katara of course would never leave him…she'd been engaged to him for well over a year, and she'd decided to live with him there when all was finished and they were wed in the spring after he turned 16. Sokka and Suki had only just been married themselves earlier in the year, and were still deciding between them on where to settle; meanwhile, they'd only been happy to help out. Toph was enjoying a life of freedom, but her Earthbending skills were invaluable in helping to construct the mountains around them to fit life in the temple. Teo had come to see it, along with his father and several engineers to fit the rooms and set up things like airship docks and stairs around the mountain base just in case of visitors. Zuko and Mai visited sometimes, but at that time they still had things to do in the Fire Nation and kept Aang and his friends constantly in the loop on any news there.

Aang had never seen such activity around his home in _so_ long…sometimes it brought him to tears to know what he'd earned after a life of suffering and fighting for the world.

That day though…he'd chosen to cast away those thoughts. It was a perfect day to just be his age…and certainly so for the others. They were taking that day to relax, gathered around a pool with naught but their bathing clothes on, around the mountain from the temple. Fed by a waterfall, it was a nice, deep recess for water and thus kept it in fairly regular supply.

Aang laughed triumphantly from his position in the center of the pool, after having sent everyone out of it with his dive, and floated reclined with his arms behind his head. "Perfect wave! And ten feet up…that's a new record, I think."

"Oh, you call _that_ a Water Bomb?"

The Airbender looked around for the voice that had challenged him, and set his eyes on his betrothed, standing atop the rocks where he'd been. He smiled. In her white underclothes for swimming and with her hair completely unbound, she did very little these days to take his breath away with every look. Though at the moment she also looked dangerous, with one quirked eyebrow and her hands fisted up on her hips. She was smirking.

"You think you can do better?" he called back up with a laugh. "Mine was _twice_ your last Water Bomb!"

"You dare doubt your Sifu, Pupil Aang?" Katara boasted and took a preparatory bending stance. "Don't challenge a Master!"

Sokka groaned from where he was resting his feet off the bank with Suki. "How about you two let the _rest_ of us swim for about _two seconds?_ At this rate, you'll bend all the water off the mountain!"

His wife shoved his shoulder. "C'mon, there's still _plenty _of water. Lighten up."

"Well, _I_ wanna see how this plays out!" Toph bit, leaning up from the rock she was sunbathing on. "Are you gonna take her talking to you like that, Twinkletoes?"

"Absolutely not!" Aang replied, feigning anger. "C'mon, Katara, show us what you've got!"

The Waterbender rolled her eyes. "Alright…you asked for it."

As the others watched, she straightened her stance and extended her arms, taking control of the water in the pool. Like the very waves, her hands rose and fell, a serpentine motion in her limbs. And instantaneously, the water rose upward in a large, clear cone.

Suddenly it became apparent to the others that she was deepening the pool in preparation for the splash. Sokka's eyes widened as she halted her bending and took a few steps backward for a running leap.

"Out out out, everyone OUT!" he screeched, grabbing both Suki and Toph by the hands. Only Aang remained in the pool, a wide grin on his face as he braced for the impact.

"WATER BOOOOOMB!" Katara hollered as she leaped from the rock and held her knees to her chest. Upon impact with the water, the world exploded in hues of silvery blue.

Katara couldn't be seen in the maelstrom, but her chiming laughter could be heard as the water cascaded outward in all directions. The force knocked everyone off their feet, though they had run about ten feet away. Aang was flung in the air, laughing, as he created a small whirlpool to bring him down again.

When things settled, the pool was a quarter as deep as it was before, but quickly filling up due to the waterfall. The others emerged, sputtering and wet, falling over into the mud.

Finally, the Waterbender's head shot up from the water along with the rest of her and she ordered herself up to the bank to wring her hair dry. "_That,_" she pointed, "Was a Master's Water Bomb."

Aang laughed and bowed. "I concede, Master Katara, yours is the superior Waterbending."

"Why thank you, Pupil Aang," she giggled and playfully flicked a few remaining droplets at him. He took the splash in the face and fell back into the pool dramatically, splashing her right back.

"Honestly…" Sokka stood up and sighed. "_These_ are the kids that saved the world. Aang, can't you _try_ to be serious these days? You're the Avatar."

"Ugh!" the Airbender covered his ears. "Not the A-word."

"…The 'A-word'?" the warrior echoed, blinking.

Katara snickered behind her hand. "Aang told me today's such a nice day, he doesn't wanna be reminded that he's…the A-word," she re-worded after a thought, "Besides, the war is over, and we haven't had any big world-building problems to solve…what's wrong with taking some time to just act our age? Frankly, Sokka, you should too."

The warrior quirked an eyebrow as he watched the teenaged world savior in question stalking Momo, only to end up slipping back into the water. Sokka shook his head and laughed. "Please, Katara, I'm _married _now, planning on being a family man. I've got to take things more seriously."

"And Aang and I are engaged," she pointed out, gesturing to the necklace that he'd made resting over her collarbone. "Doesn't mean we're gonna stop having some fun once in a while."

"Don't remind me," Sokka muttered as he rubbed his forehead, causing Toph to erupt into snickers behind him.

Katara rolled her eyes and blushed. "You know it's not like that yet, Sokka! And come on, what has you so down today anyway?"

Her brother quirked an incredulous eyebrow, blinking. "…I don't believe it…you actually forgot what today is. I never thought I'd see it."

The Waterbender's forehead furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Out of earshot, Aang stopped his splashing around to turn his head towards Katara and Sokka. He watched them curiously, wondering what they were talking about that had them so serious all of a sudden. Her brother had his hand on her shoulder, as if out of comfort.

Then, he gaped slightly as Katara tensed, summoned a blob of water to knock her brother harshly off his feet, and turn to run off into the shadows of the rocks.

A rush of concern came over the young Avatar, and he scrambled out of the pool to where Sokka lay sputtering. "What happened?" he asked, somewhat scared. "Is Katara okay?"

The warrior grumbled, coughed, and sighed as he returned to his feet and looked Aang in the eyes. "Actually, I think I just ruined her day," he murmured sheepishly and scratched at the back of his head. "I thought for sure she wouldn't get so upset…"

"What happened?" Aang repeated, taking a hold of his shoulder.

Sokka seemed to think on what to say for a moment, before shaking his head. "It's nothing, Aang…"

"Sokka, that wasn't _nothing,_" the Airbender argued, staring pointedly at his brother-in-law-to-be. "What did you say that made her so angry?"

Sokka roughly shook him off. "I just reminded her that today was a day she didn't like to remember, okay? I _really_ wouldn't bother her right now, you gotta promise me that. The subject is dropped."

The Airbender ceased questioning and let the Water Tribe man go, after a long bout of hesitance. A well of sadness for Katara filled his heart. He didn't want to keep such a promise to Sokka…but as he watched the others reconvene and try to relax in the wake of the dramatic bout, Aang looked toward where she had run and vowed later to find her, after she had her time.

* * *

Katara's stare was off into the space before her, locked on the image of the shining half-moon in the dark stream at her feet and occasionally at her own reflection; still garbed only in swimwear just as she was. The sun had only just fully set that evening…but the feeling of dryness in her hazy eyes made her think that she'd been alone all the day, sad and thoughtful, letting the tears cascade out of her until they could no longer.

The air wasn't at all cold, but she wrapped her hands around her shoulders just the same, and kept hearing herself in her mind. _How could you forget today?_ She looked at her wrist, where she'd wrapped her mother's necklace up like a bracelet after it was replaced with Aang's. Her fingers traced the Water Tribe symbol on the delicate carved pendant, and she had that to stare at until her vision became blurry.

The girl didn't look up when she heard the footprints that were too softly-made for a normal human or bender approach her from the side.

"It's nice out tonight," she heard Aang observe in a half-whisper.

Katara turned her head just slightly to glance at him, but said nothing in reply. She just looked from between the strands of hair covering her face and scrunched her knees up, turning her gaze back to where it had been. He sat beside her, still smiling in that same kind way that always made her heart flutter. "A bit too humid though, especially for a mountain," he continued casually and looked out into the stream. "But still warm."

"Mm," she hummed a quick response, unmoving.

The Airbender turned to look at her again, his smile slowly disappearing as he observed the way she huddled. Her arms wrapped around her knees, and her face was nearly hidden with her hair and her legs. It never failed to sadden him when he saw her like that…Aang always knew her as such a strong girl, an immovable force against the naysayers of the world…whether mortal as their enemies or immortal as death. And yet, he kept trying to remember that even she had her weaknesses. Somehow, today held one of them.

Cautiously, he scooted closer and reached for one of her hands. Her eyes met his own and read every emotion within them; worrying, caring, sad, reaching for a way to break through this barrier she had put over herself.

"Won't you tell me what's wrong?" he asked, squeezing her fingers gently. When she looked away, uncertain, he continued. "If what Sokka said insulted you in any way, I swear…"

"No, no…" she murmured, finally lifting her head a little. "It's not Sokka."

"But, it's still something he said," he pointed out and kept up his imploring gaze. "You know you can tell me anything, Katara…anything at all. Please? I don't like seeing you like this."

_And I don't like you to see me like this either,_ she thought, closing her eyes against the tears starting to form again.

But she knew he had a point. He was her best friend, her soul mate, her betrothed…they had no secrets from one another. And if there was anyone that she was most comfortable talking to, it was him. Things she could never say to her own brother, she said to Aang.

And the way he held her hand, so warm and soft…it made her want to collapse onto him and say anything and everything.

It was still so foreign to her, sometimes, the notion that there was someone she'd allow to protect _her_, instead of it always being the other way around…a notion that she hadn't felt in so long. In her weakest moments, Aang seemed to have the strength to give back.

When he squeezed her fingers again, she scooted closer and leaned into him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. He immediately wrapped his arms around the Waterbender and just held her close, patiently waiting for when she felt it right to tell him what was wrong.

Her voice was low and weak when she finally did. "Today was the day Mom died."

"…Oh…" Aang let out a quiet little gasp in surprise and sudden understanding. He tightened his hold on her, nuzzling the top of her head. "Oh, Katara…I didn't know…"

She sniffed, burying herself a little closer into his warmth as she continued. "I _never_ used to forget this day. Every year when it came, I'd always go off by myself and just…just mourn. I never wanted to forget what happened, even if I hate remembering. I never wanted to forget _her._ I'd feel so _wrong_ if I did, like I'd stopped missing her. I know it's stupid, but…that's how I feel. And that's how I felt today when Sokka had to point it out to me."

Her fingers dug lightly into his skin, and he just held her as well as he could while her voice came out in sobs. "I just…I felt so…so guilty. And it's been getting worse since the war ended…for the last three years I had to struggle to remember this day. And today I almost _did_, Aang, completely."

"Katara…" he murmured again into her hair, comforting, as her words drifted off into silence and she wept into his bare shoulder. One of his hands caressed up and down her heaving spine. He held her like he was protecting her from all the wrongs in the world, though he knew he couldn't always…the Airbender wished he could protect her from the intangible pain, but he couldn't do that, ever. All he could do was _be_ there, and that's what he planned to do even when words failed him.

After a moment, when her crying turned back into breathing, she sniffed and pulled back, her face flushed and her eyes shimmering, shyness seen within them as she brushed where her tears had fallen. "I'm sorry."

"Not a problem," Aang replied with a chuckle and made a small motion with his hand, gathering the moisture from his skin and holding it aloft into a little ball. The bended tears gathered together looked rather jewel-like, clearer even than the stream they sat beside.

Katara giggled softly and shook her head. "Tearbending. I should've thought of that before the Ember Island Players did."

He gave her the little ball to let hover, to play with, and watched her as she did. He was just happy to see her distracted for even a moment, before she began remembering the night at hand. As her fingers dropped, so did the tears, into the stream.

"I don't really know why I'm forgetting so easily," she admitted, leaning into his embrace again.

"You know you'll never forget her," he gently pointed out. "I've never forgotten my people either. I guess, as you go, it's just easier to get over it."

She quirked her eyebrows and pulled away from him. "'Get over it'?" she echoed.

Suddenly, Aang grimaced. "That didn't sound right at all…I didn't mean you'd ever _get over_ it, I'm just saying…wait, forget what I said," he groaned loudly and scrunched up, holding his head. "You can slap me if you want, I'm being stupid."

But Katara only chuckled and touched his shoulder. "No; it's okay, I know you're trying to help."

Her smile put a little light back into his eyes…she found it so cute, how sometimes he still fumbled over the right thing to say and mixed it with his fear of making things worse. He was still but a teenager, after all.

"I know what you're saying though," she said. "It's a lot like your people. You lost everyone and everything you loved, and yet, you've always been so optimistic and bright. I have absolutely no idea how you can be yourself…" her hand drifted over his chest, to where his heartbeat was the strongest under the skin of her palm. "And yet, I bet it still hurts," she softly guessed.

His face fell, and he took a deep breath. His hand came up over hers on his heart. "It does. Almost every day. But, it helps to remember what I was taught. Live for today, never forget my beliefs or myself. And it helps to remember what Guru Pathik said. Remember, that time we went on the tour of the Eastern Air Temple?"

"How could I forget?" she smiled, blushing. "It's one of my favorite memories…that tour of the Chakras you took me on."

He nodded. "Remember the Air one, in the heart?" To emphasize, he moved their hands from his heart to hers.

"Yeah…it's…" she tried to remember. "It's love, right?"

"Right," he confirmed. Two of his fingers hovered over her heart, as if he was reading the energy of it for himself. "Grief is what blocks it. But you have to remember that love is energy, which can't be destroyed. You lose the ones you love, but their love for you, and you for them, is never lost. It's reborn."

When his gaze met her own, meaningfully, she remembered what he'd told her that day…that he loved her with the love of his entire nation. She meant more to him than she'd ever have guessed…and filled the void in his heart from his loss.

Suddenly, it was like a wall opened inside of her, when she noticed again how similar their losses were. Katara's mother was like the world to her, and her world was permanently overturned when she was killed…and when she found Aang, and her heart and world opened to him, she knew what he meant to her…

"…You're the reason," she whispered in realization. Her grip on his hand, still over her racing heart, tightened. "You make me forget."

"I do?" he blinked. Now it was his turn to wonder if that was a good or a bad thing.

But she just shook her head and laughed. "What I mean is, after we got together after the war, I was so happy. I had your love, and I never felt so…_complete. _It's a cheesy thing to say, but it's true. All the pain about my mom goes away whenever I'm with you, laughing and having fun and _being_ together, like today…that's why it's so easy not to mourn anymore." She sniffed and swiftly tightened her arms around him. "You help me."

Aang smiled and returned the tight hug, blushing. Even after a few years of being together, they still had enough to learn about each other, and what she'd said was news to him; yet it was so perfect. To know what he meant to her…that he too filled the void in her heart…he was all too happy that he'd decided to ask for her hand in marriage all those months ago. He couldn't live without her, and now he _knew_ that he would never make her live without _him_…for as long as he knew he had.

"I guess I said the right thing this time?" he joked after another few moments just holding each other.

Katara snorted and eyed him. "Oh, I _suppose_ you did," she snickered, brushing his cheek with her fingers. Her expression softened. "I feel much better now though…thank you, Aang, for everything you do."

He shrugged and smiled. "Well, I love you. I don't think I need more thanks or a reason to do what I do."

"There you go, being too sweet. But I love you too," she teased again, making him laugh as they turned comfortably to watch the moon's reflection dance on the trickling water.

He gave the top of her head a kiss and rested his cheek against her hair. "I hope you know though," he began, this time with the right words fresh in his mind, "You never _have_ to forget your mother, and what she meant to you on this day. I don't think she'd want you to worry…I think she would understand and be happy that _you're_ happy."

Katara paused, and nodded slowly. "A part of me always knew that, I think. But I always still felt so awful. I wondered what she'd think of me if I ever forgot her, so I fought to make sure I didn't."

She felt his hum gently resonate through his body. "She'd be proud of you, Katara. I know she would."

The Waterbender blushed, closing her eyes. "What, did you talk to her or something?" she lightly joked.

But he didn't laugh, and that caused her to turn her head to see his reaction. His brow furrowed. And before she could question him, he closed his eyes and smiled, confirming something to himself before turning to her.

"I did, actually."

She pulled away and gasped, mouth agape at him. "…Aang, don't joke with me like that."

He shook his head. "No, it's true. I spoke to her, in the Spirit World during the last Equinox."

Everything she saw of his expression screamed that he told her the truth. But even then, she was completely shell-shocked. The young Water Tribe woman didn't know what to say, or think. She stared, asking her question through her eyes.

"I was meditating," he began, "You know, making sure that the spirits didn't have anything they needed desperately to speak to me about on that day while they had the chance." He looked upward while remembering the event. "I think I was pulled into the Spirit World, or a part of it, because the next second I was in this foggy place with snow falling all around. My eyes opened to a woman smiling at me...she looked a lot like you, and had your eyes…and I guess I knew who she was right then.

"She introduced herself as Kya...and when I asked what she'd come to me for, she kinda laughed and berated me for not asking _her _permission to marry you."

Katara giggled a little…she had barely remembered that her mother had a dry sense of humor that perhaps she inherited.

Aang smiled and continued. "She gave me her blessing though, which I'm happy for…and she told me…" his eyes closed and he hung his head once more. "Told me to tell you something."

The Waterbender beside him felt the breath stopping in her throat. "What…" she gulped, "What did she say?"

He let out a quiet breath. "She said to tell you that…she's always been watching over you, saw everything that you've done…she's never been more proud of you, and Sokka as well. She's so glad to see you so happy now, and…she thanked me for that too. She said she wishes for the happiest life in the world for you…and to eventually give her grandchildren," he paused to laugh, and she joined him. "But above all…she said to tell you that she loves you, she always will…and is waiting for the day that you'll see her again."

When he looked at her again, she was trembling, tears streaming from her eyes. Katara didn't know whether to be sad or happy, whether to smile…her lips quivered when she finally _did _smile, and hugged herself with a choked-back sob, the barriers she built around herself crumbling to dust, her heart overflowing with a wonderful kind of pain throughout her body.

"And that's…all true?" her wavering voice forced out.

"Every word, I swear on my life," Aang finished and reached out to hold her hands. "You'll never have to be sad for your mother again. She's safe in the Spirit World, watching over you."

At that, Katara couldn't hold her composure any more. She fell limp in his arms and let herself be held, gratefully clutching her anchor as the revelation took a hold of her heart.

"You're unbelievable, Aang," she sniffed as his fingers brushed and bended away more tears. "Just when were you going to tell me all of this?" She looked at him, her expression hard. "_Were_ you going to tell me?"

"Of course I was," he stated right back, never breaking their stare. "I would have never held your mom's message from you; I know how important it would have been. I was saving it for a special day…maybe our wedding day. But then just earlier I thought…since today was special for you, for your mom…I'd, well…" he smiled sheepishly, "Give you my wedding present early."

She cupped his face and tenderly kissed him, expressing all of her gratefulness through the action. "You gave me a wonderful message straight from my mother, from the dead," she laughed upon parting, "How can I ever hope to have anything for you, to measure up to that kind of gift?"

"I told you," he returned the kiss with tears in his own eyes; "I love you, and I'd have done much more even than that. Your gift to me is that you _are _marrying me. I promise you it's enough."

Her heart threatened to break through her chest as the rest of her tears dried on her cheeks. "And you deserve all the love I have," she murmured.

He sighed longingly, holding her close. "I really can't wait until we're married."

"Me neither," Katara sighed back, her mouth aching from the smile that refused to go away as she relaxed against him. Thoughtfully, her eyes drifted again to the pendant adorning her wrist.

He caught her gaze and hummed. "You know…if you want to wear my necklace as a bracelet instead, I wouldn't mind…I mean, I don't want to make you feel like I really _am_ replacing your mom…"

"No, Aang, it's fine," she insisted with a warm smile. "I'm happy to wear your necklace. It makes it feel more like what I said earlier was true…you helping me heal my heart." She chuckled. "Besides, like I said once before, I might someday have a daughter to give my mother's necklace to."

He nodded with a light smile, "You _will_ have a daughter, because I'll be sure to give you one."

She barked a laugh. "Now that's new. _You'll_ give _me_ one."

"Yeah," he nonchalantly said, like the endeavor was the easiest thing in the world.

"And how will you do that?" she smirked.

Aang rolled his eyes, failing to hide the pink on his cheeks. "Keep trying 'til it happens?" His grin was all teeth.

Katara laughed and hid her face in her hands…yeah, she thought, he was _definitely_ just a teenager under all of his layers. "You're impossible!"

"Impossibly charming."

"Aang!"

"No? How about awesome?"

"I'm warning you…"

"Okay, okay…just all around great," he beamed like a child, raising his arms to rest behind his head.

"Oh, that's it…" the Waterbender snarled playfully and lunged for him, trying to look for the ticklish spot on his abdomen that made him laugh uncontrollably.

He held her at bay by the wrists once he saw the crazed look in her eyes. "Ohhh NO, _no no no…!"_

"Hah, I got you now, Avatar!" she crowed, wrestling his grip.

"AHH, Katara, the A-word…!"

"Avatar, Avatar, Avatar!" she chanted and cackled, "You'll have to do better than _that_! C'mon, show more of a fight!"

"Oh, you want a fight?" he laughed and flipped her over onto the ground, pinning her by the wrists. "You're _mine,_ Waterbender!"

"_Not!_" she barked, laughing as she shoved him up enough with her leg to free one hand and send a stream of water splashing into his face.

From there it became one of their impromptu games of water tag, racing and dodging, whipping and parrying, just trying to wear one another out by running if not from all of the mirthful laughter choking the air from their lungs. Even if there was little she could teach him in Waterbending anymore, it was still something they both loved to do and often. And once again, Katara found herself free of worry, completely uninhibited when it was only herself and Aang…nobody else in the world could have made her like that.

Once they were both exhausted, she let him catch her, and the two of them fell over together on the bank again in a sweat-drenched heap. It was only then she lamented the humidity of the night, but it was all forgotten upon looking back up to him and he down to her.

They both breathed heavily, regaining their lost air. The sweat was of little discomfort to either of them. Aang stayed hovering above his loved one and locked his gaze to hers as their breathing slowed, though he swore he could hear _both_ of their pulses racing at high speed.

As Katara watched him, heard his soft breathing and short hums that came with them, she swore that his half-lidded eyes held in them a hidden sort of wanting, something she found impossible to describe. And she found the same feeling making its way to the surface, and the warmth around them seemed to escalate. Her mouth closed in a small grin, eyes narrowed, and with a rosy blush forming on her cheeks.

A few more seconds passed. All was quiet, but for the rushing stream and the occasional call of an animal in the night. As far as they knew, they were the only ones awake, and the others still well out of range of them.

With a rush of crimson painting his own face, Aang quietly gulped and licked his lip, still holding the same emotions in his eyes. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he murmured.

Katara took a breath and almost shyly lowered her head, still grinning. "I don't know," she whispered back. Her fingers drew themselves up and down his front, as if she had discovered for the first time that he wasn't wearing a shirt. "If you're thinking what I _think_ you're thinking…I might just take up that earlier offer to slap you."

He chuckled, shivering a little at her meandering touch. "I've gotta hear this, then. What _do_ you think I'm thinking?"

"Mmmm…" she pretended to think, letting her fingers drift down his arms on either side of her. She lifted herself up a little closer, and he started leaning back to allow her to sit up…but her hand on the back of his neck suddenly kept him there, pulling him forward to her. His breathing hitched as her lips neared his. "I think, maybe…somewhere along the lines of…this."

They came together, the kiss hot with the fanning of her breath on his skin…she briefly parted from him only to deepen it again. His eyes closed and he hummed against her lips, pushing her back down to the ground as he returned every bit of what she gave with a slow but heightening fervor.

He broke the kisses to speak, but could only get out a few words at a time amidst the constant hovering, pressing, breathing. "That's…pretty much what…I was thinking…except maybe…"

She stopped her lips and looked at him again, wondering. "Maybe…?"

He was blushing furiously through his sudden excitement. "Except maybe…a little bit…just a little…um…"

"…More?" she supplied.

Aang breathed out hard and leaned over her again. "Yes…more…maybe?" he looked into her eyes and bit his lip, shyly inquiring her permission while conveying his thoughts and desires silently.

The heat on Katara's face refused to settle as she closed her eyes, smiling. Though they were saving the notion of fully giving themselves to one another until after the wedding, they had both decided not long after their engagement to bring their relationship just a little further into more intimate territories. They had easily exercised the self-control to keep it all at kissing, touching, teasing, and testing the other's limits…hard as it was to hold back, it was also something they enjoyed on rare and special occasions when they had a good night alone…just slowly getting to know one another personally each time.

One thing that always held firm was their trust in one another. Aang had never overstepped his boundaries, or pushed her uncomfortably…nor she him. And always, his hands on her were tentative, waiting for her approval first. And she found that tonight counted as a special enough night to share that intimacy with the one she so loved.

Katara hummed and bit her lip, sitting up a little and turning her head around. "Where are the others?"

"Just a sec," he said, sitting up himself and lifting his foot. A quick stamp of his heel into the earth revealed the answer via his Earthbending Sight, after a moment or two. "They've gone back into the temple," he relayed as he settled over her again. "Nobody's nearby or coming this way. I think they might have gone to sleep."

"Hm, I'd have expected at least _Sokka_ to come looking for us," she snorted.

Aang thoughtfully quirked his eyes up. "He said he didn't wanna bother you today, actually."

"Oh…right," Katara sighed and sagged back down to the ground. "I should talk to him tomorrow, and apologize. I was being so stupid."

"No," her beloved's head shook, "The way you acted was understandable, and we all know that."

She let out a long breath, smiling up at him again. "I guess so."

"Don't worry…we'll both go talk to the others," the Airbender assured as he slowly took her hand and laced his fingers through hers, holding it beside her head while his other hand brushed through and played with the thick strands of her hair. "Right now though…?" he blushed and averted his eyes.

The heat in her cheeks rose again in kind, and she smiled as slowly drew him down to her level and kissed him longingly. "Right now," she echoed, "It's just you and me. So yes," she breathed into his ear, "More."

Katara seemed to feel everything at once right then, and so did Aang as he beamed and returned her kiss with all the passion that he could muster. They both forgot to breathe at times, and soon their pace slowed so that they could just enjoy the moments passing, immersed with their hearts intertwined. She never grew tired of his kisses; proof of his love for her was in each caress of his lips and tongue over her own, and the rhythm of his breath. Likewise, she was somehow gentle and ferocious all at once when returning and deepening that potent energy, those fiery butterflies in the stomach, the heated lightning shooting up their nerves...were it not for remembering to stop and breathe, he was sure he'd have loved to stay like that with her forever.

Her embracing arms slunk along his body, lingering on every crease and muscle with her fingertips. His kissing didn't stop when he drifted from her lips to her neck, lingering on the spots that he knew were sensitive and being rewarded with her laughter. It only grew louder when he nuzzled his face into her soft skin and purred against it…just a little rumble of cool breath, enough to make her shiver.

She shoved him playfully, and he laughed too, surprised at the rather mature action from himself. Katara kissed the Airbender's warm cheeks and smiled encouragingly, banishing the last of any shyness lingering in the back of their minds as Aang's fingers slid over her back and under the cloth of her top.

As the Waterbender melted with the soothing feel of his hands, his body heat cloaking and protecting her as well as she knew he would, she didn't know how she deserved such happiness and pleasure out of life. For all of her time after Kya's death it was one piece of misfortune after another, and she was forced to stand up and carry so much on her shoulders…and yet now, now after finding out that even her _mother_ had blessed her happiness and love…

Katara found tears breaching her eyelids one last time. Aang noticed, and he stopped to dry them for her, concern in his gaze. "What's wrong?"

She let out a giggle and buried her face in his neck. "Nothing at all, Aang…but, just…thank the Spirits for you. And thank _you_ for saving me."

He chuckled softly and just held her, lying side by side with his soul mate as he too cried little tears of happiness. "You've saved _me_ too many times, Katara. If I can't return the favor, then I could never marry you."

She didn't waste any time lingering. She kissed him again, deeply enough to steal his breath. They urged the night on with no more words…just with shared warmth, hands wandering carefully past various barriers enough to make each other shiver, and the sunrise only blissfully far away.

At least this time it hadn't come as much of a surprise to Sokka and the others when they were found still sleeping in each other's arms beside the stream. The smile on Katara's slumbering face was a clue that, perhaps, it would be best to leave them to awaken themselves.

_I don't know if you can see her where you are now, Mom, _the young warrior smiled, _but I don't think she's going to be so sad on that day anymore._


	30. Confessions II

((AN: And so, finally, we reach the end of To Muse on Parenthood, and the end of my little world of made-up fanspawn. x3 Who knows though, I may come back to add to this collection when more canon stuff arrives, and hey, maybe even Korra bits. You never know. :3

I struggled a little with writing this chapter though, because even though I wanted to, it wasn't easy to figure out how to go about it. x3 So again, I took another angle to it and kinda mixed it with another idea I had before that never really got off the ground. It's a surprise, I'll let you all read for yourselves. x3 But as for what it's about, it's indeed about the discussion of Zuko's side of the war that a few of you have been waiting on; so all of ya, and Somariel especially whom I know has been waiting for this bit, I hope that I managed to satisfy, and I hope this makes a good ending to my personal canon as well. ^^

I also want to thank all the readers out there who loved this connected collection of one-shots, and who faved and reviewed and critiqued and overall just made my writing muse the happiest little thing in the world. I love all of ya, and I thank you for helping to inspire my writing and will continue to do so as I work on my other collections, and I only hope that I lived up to expectations and apologize for having to take long breaks inbetween sometimes. ^^;

I may just actually start up another random one-shot fluff collection...or mayyyybe, turn Peace Within into a mature one-shot collection. xP Hey, I'll think about it. ;)

With that said, on to the story, and I hope you guys enjoy, and I hope you enjoyed the collection. I love to hear what you think, as always. ^^

MIKE AND BRYAN OWN THESE GUYS AND GOOD GRACIOUS AREN'T WE GRATEFUL FOR IT! =D ))

* * *

Tenzin had traveled the world quite a lot with his parents in his ten years of life; so he knew all of the best places to play hide-and-seek. And one of his favorites was the Fire Nation Royal Palace.

To anyone who didn't know the place inside and out, the labyrinthine halls and many, many doors and floors were dizzying to navigate unless you could of course ask a guard for directions. There were countless rooms, closets, cupboards and windows, niches and corridors…perhaps, the children imagined often in their youth, secret passages to hidden treasures or different times and places.

Plus, to the Avatar's son, the palace held a mysteriously dark air. Sure, all of his life he'd known it as the center of the Fire Nation itself, the home of the royal family and his godparents…but not long ago he'd learned a secret that made the massive palace seem like a foreboding monument. It held ghosts in its past, secrets of vile and treacherous minds, and would always have this…_energy_ to it regardless of the happiness it was seeing now long after the war's end.

But like the child he was, he couldn't hold onto those thoughts for long when he was invited to a game with the current twin heirs, 9-year-old Kazu and Ursa, while his parents and theirs were meeting in the throne room. His 12-year-old cousin, Kimiye, had to join in; after all, it was her job as the oldest to look after everybody, to her chagrin ("Do I _have_ to, Mom? I thought I was training with you today!"). But soon enough, even she couldn't resist the game.

And so, once the counting began, the young Airbender found himself rushing as fast as he could through one of the many hallways, snickering all the way to himself as he dashed heedlessly forward. Kimiye was the first seeker, and presumably would have quite a hard time finding the others: Ursa and Kazu knew the palace in and out and thus could find the most difficult hiding places, and Tenzin was just plain too quick. He hoped he wouldn't be hiding for _too_ long.

Once he was sure that he was far enough away, he skidded to a stop in the middle of the corridor and took a moment to catch his breath. His head swiveled up and all around, tempest-colored eyes laying on every little intricate detail that surrounded him. Enveloped in silence, the crimson and golden decorations warm to his sight, he figured that he was in one of the back hallways that he'd never seen much before; usually when he visited, he was confined to a certain few rooms or halls, the courtyard, or the throne room.

So where was he now?

_Well, wherever it is, looks like it'll be a good place,_ he decided at once and started looking around at the ornamental doorways. The click of his shoes on the parts of the floor not covered by a rug left soft echoes floating to the high ceiling, and it was at that point that he wondered why he hadn't seen any guards in this part of the palace. Normally, there was one or two at watch near every corner. But not here.

Tenzin kept his breathing even and again thought little of it. He had a game to finish; surely these musings could wait.

He stopped in front of a larger doorway in the center of the hall on the left, which was partly open. It was dark, and immediately he ducked inside upon thinking he heard footsteps, trying not to budge the door as he did; he feared that it would make a noise.

There the Airbender simply froze in the shadows, nearly blinded, and kept his eye on the little sliver of light that the door offered into the corridor. The footsteps he'd heard grew louder, and he shrunk inside with a gulp, biting his lip.

But to his relief, he saw a red uniform and the man wearing it walking past with a purposely loud clap in his step; just another guard on patrol. _So there's one or two here after all,_ Tenzin hummed, getting back into his thoughtfulness while he waited in the darkness, alone.

Or so he thought.

At almost an instant, the room illuminated with the soft glow of a flickering candle. And just as quickly as it had, a tired feminine voice had inquired, "Who's there?"

"Ah!" Tenzin gasped and whirled on his feet, getting into a defensive stance, facing the one whom he'd unintentionally disturbed.

He was standing in a small guest room. The chamber was bare of much decoration; not even one banner, portrait, or Fire Nation insignia. Only a small bed with soft white and red blankets, golden throw pillows with expertly-sewn designs of dragons on them, and a nightstand with drawers could be seen in the candlelight's flickering glow.

It was the older woman curiously staring at him that made him keep his stance. She was sitting up in the bed, hands crossed over the blanket covering the lower half of her body. She wore a long and elegant robe, but it was white, unlike the striking red and gold colors that he saw many in the Fire Nation wear to sleep. Her deep black hair went straight down her back, and her bangs were parted in two long points to frame her pale face. Her golden gaze held within a look of surprise, and wasn't unkind…but to Tenzin, it was the way she stared, unblinking and focused to the point of cat-like clarity, that unnerved him. She looked about as old as his mother was, really; but there were lines on her face that made her look older, and told unclear stories of a harried past…of exhaustion and stress, things kept locked away inside…lines that were probably permanently etched into her with time. He wondered who she was, to be confined to a room in the back of the palace with such meager elegance to her room; a servant, a visitor, a family member?

When she smiled curiously at the youngster, those old lines only seemed exaggerated. "What's this?" she hummed with amusement in her tone. Her clear, precise voice had a rough edge to it even when it sounded genuinely kind. "I get few visitors these days, but not many are children."

Tenzin settled a few hairs and bowed his head quickly, but respectfully. "I'm sorry, ma'am…I didn't know there was anyone in here. I'm playing a game with my friends and I thought I could hide here. Sorry I disturbed you."

"Oh, you're fine," the woman chuckled and dismissively waved a hand. "No harm done." She sighed, half-yawning. "I wasn't asleep."

_…So she was just lying in the dark?_ Tenzin thought, but the question didn't arise.

As if sensing the inquiry in his eyes, though, the woman spoke up again. "The dark is sometimes peaceful. It's good for thinking. So…you're hiding from your friends, you say?"

The Airbender nodded, stealing a glance back toward the door. "Yeah. My cousin, and the Fire Lord's two kids." He heard footsteps again, more likely the guard retracing his pace as per usual. "I hope you don't mind that I hide in here for a moment, ma'am," his smile was sheepish.

Hers was slow, but kind nonetheless. "Of course not, child. I would like the company anyhow." Her head tilted curiously. "You're friends with Kazu and Ursa, are you?"

"Yep." The Airbender turned back to her and bowed again, remembering his manners. "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Tenzin."

"Tenzin…" the mysterious Fire Nation woman echoed thoughtfully, before her eyes widened slightly. "The Avatar's boy?"

He grinned and shrugged. "That's what they all tell me, yeah. I'm here visiting with my family."

"Really," she hummed, and laughed. "Well, I've heard…_much_…about your family, but it's quite an honor to meet you."

"Thanks," he shrugged, a touch unnerved still by the catch in her voice at the mention of his family, and the way her fingers twitched…but, he was curious all the same. "So what's _your_ name? If I can ask, that is."

The woman paused, her eyes glazing over for a moment as she thought it over. Her body seemed to give a shudder, and she dropped her gaze. "Well, I don't…_like_ my name much, so I don't tell it. But, I _am_ a relative of the Fire Lord's. Ursa and Kazu are my niece and nephew. Quite the little darlings," she sighed quietly and put a hand over her heart, her smile coming out the most genuine that he'd seen. "I adore them so."

"You're their aunt?" His head tilted. "Huh. I've never met you before."

The woman chuckled lowly and sighed. "Well…there…might be good reason for that. I am…rather sick, you see. I have been so most of my life, and so I must stay here in this room most of the time."

His eyebrows rose in concern, eyes twinkling in the firelight. "That's very sad."

She shook her head. "Oh, it is not so bad. I prefer the peace and quiet…and I just like being around my…family," she almost had to choke the word out, as if it were foreign to her. "I see the children from time to time, not often…again, for the best. Fire Lord Zuko is quite protective of them, and who wouldn't be…after all he's seen…and done…what I've done…" she trailed off, and her eyes once again regained a mystified demeanor, her voice losing its clarity to sadly break in places.

Tenzin, feeling awkward, broke the silence with a hum. "Well, I'm glad to hear you feel happy, ma'am."

She seemed to snap back to attention, smiling. "Oh, I am, I am. I couldn't be happier…we all should be. I'm especially glad for Zuko…the war had his toll on him, all of us. And now it's over."

The woman realized she was rambling and stopped, easing herself with another long sigh, meeting Tenzin's confused stare. "Sorry. I don't know how much you and your friends have been taught about the war, but it has left lasting scars on all of us."

The young Airbender nodded. "My mom and dad tell me stories all the time about the war. I know about some of the scars you're talking about." A thought occurred to him. "Actually…I'm curious about Fire Lord Zuko's, but I don't know how to ask him."

Her eyes narrowed very briefly, before she gave another low chuckle. "I suspect if you ask, he would avoid answering as much as possible. It's not a proud story for him, or a happy one. And because of it, he's done things he's not proud of."

Tenzin's eyebrows quirked. "Like what?"

The woman's stare returned to its previous starkness, highly focused, unblinking, and somehow looking faraway and past him to another time long past. "Perhaps, you could ask your father about that," She hummed lowly, "Or mother." Her fingers again gave a twitch, but she sat up straight afterward and smiled kindly. "At any rate, it's nothing to dwell over. We're all happier without having to remember such things, as I said."

Sighing in slight defeat, feeling that all he was going to get was less than a straight answer, the Airbender shrugged. "I guess." He turned his gaze quickly to the door. "Anyway…I'm gonna go and find the others. I probably went too far for them to try finding me."

The woman nodded. "Do what you will, then. And thank you for the company, Tenzin."

He smiled and bowed shortly. "It's okay, ma'am. It's nice to have met you."

She regarded the smiling boy with curiosity, even slight surprise, in her gaze before closing her eyes and just humming back. "You as well."

"Bye," he waved, giving one last darting look outside before hopping out and taking a short run back through the hall from where he'd come.

Watching him leaving from the dim candlelit darkness of her bedroom, the woman chuckled again and spoke lowly to herself. "The Avatar's boy. Who would have thought that I would be meeting him?" She glanced down to where her fingers still twitched—the index and middle of her hands most of all—as a short peal of guilt-ridden memories ran through her mind.

She calmed her movements with another sigh and extinguished the candle, laying back into the warm and comforting sheets as she murmured her answer. "Certainly not the old you."

* * *

This time, as Tenzin ran, he paid attention to where he was going; and soon enough, he recognized the wing of the palace that he and the others had been told to play in. He stopped and froze, looking around for the others.

But he could barely concentrate on the game…after speaking with the strange woman, his head was full of questions. He wondered about the current Fire Lord, and why he rarely divulged anything concerning his past, about the war…and every time he asked Kazu or Ursa, they'd just answer the same thing: they didn't know much either.

_What don't they want us to know?_ The inquisitive Airbender sighed inwardly. _Why do they hide some things from us? I don't like it at all._

As he continued to think, allowing his feet to wander aimlessly, he could barely hear the creaks and groans of the floor as someone snuck up from behind.

Still, Tenzin was no slouch. As soon as they had advanced closely enough, he leaped with a forceful blast of air near his feet and whirled around to narrowly escape being grabbed by Kimiye.

"AAH!" The girl yelped and rolled swiftly back to her feet, to see her quarry already running around the corner at the furthest end of the hall. "No fair, Tenzin, you can't use bending to run away!" she roared after him.

"You never said _that_ was part of the rules, so it's fair!" he shot back, kicking his running a notch higher. It only took him a minute at that speed to reach the door of the wing, and the post that they'd declared home base. A running dive, a squeaky slide, and he collapsed against it just as his cousin came running back.

She nearly fell over herself, short of breath as she brushed her short brown hair back into place. "Fine…you little snot…" she wheezed. "You win this one."

"Woo!" the Airbender exulted, throwing his fist in the air. "Sorry, Kim," his grin was all teeth, "You _almost _had me. You're getting better at that."

Kimiye sighed. "I guess I've got a ways to go in Kyoshi Warrior training. I'm still not half as silent as Mom can be."

"You'll get there," he laughed. "So, where are the twins? They still hiding?"

"Nope, found 'em," Kimiye grinned as the two heirs stepped up from the side upon their mention. She glanced to them. "You guys know the palace well, yeah, but I think you'd do a lot better if you hid in _separate_ places. You always hide together; makes it too easy."

"We don't _always _hide together!" the nine-year-olds protested simultaneously, at which they both grunted in agitation and turned their backs on each other.

Tenzin laughed. "You guys _always _do stuff together. It's like you're mirror doubles or something."

"Twins," Kimiye rolled her eyes and snorted at the simultaneous raspberries the two gave her. She turned back to her cousin. "So where'd _you_ hide, anyway? I had a heck of a time looking; it's like you disappeared."

The Airbender turned his gaze to the side and scratched nervously at his short black hair. "Actually, I kinda went into another hall in the back somewhere by accident, and hid in a room I found."

Kimiye's eyes widened. "Oooh, you're _such_ a cheater…you use Airbending to run, and before that, you go _outside_ the boundary to hide!"

"Hey, I meant to go back!" Tenzin argued. "But I got caught up in talking to this woman that was there in the room. I kinda woke her up, I guess."

"Woman?" His cousin blinked. "Who?"

"Wait, you were in the _back_ halls?" Kazu piped up. "Did the door to that room have blue dragons painted on it?"

"Er…I think so," Tenzin shrugged, watching his friend curiously. "Why?"

"Ooh…" Ursa traded glances with her brother, hands over her mouth and hiding an amused grin. "You met Aunt Azula."

"_Azula?"_ Kimiye echoed.

"Is that her name? Huh," Tenzin's head shook. "She didn't wanna tell it to me. She was nice, but a little odd."

"That's no surprise," Kazu nodded as his sister giggled. "She has that room of the palace to herself, and rarely leaves it. Dad lets us see her sometimes, but only if someone's with us; she had to live in the sanitarium for a long time as a kid and had to recover, he said, so that's why she's a little off in the head."

"A little?" Kimiye snorted. "She used to be stark-raving mad, and evil, just like the old Fire Lord. Least that's what _my_ dad said."

"She's not evil!" Ursa shouted back suddenly. "She really likes us!"

"But she's still a little weird, like when she stares off into space and mutters to herself," Kazu pointed out with a shrug. "But yeah, otherwise, she's not mean to us."

"Well, still," Kimiye said as she put her hands protectively on Tenzin's shoulders, "I'm just glad Ten survived."

"She said something weird, too," Tenzin continued, looking among the others. "About the Fire Lord and his scar. And that he did some awful things in the past."

"Awful things?" Ursa hummed. "Like what?"

"You're calling Dad evil too?" Kazu shot, taking his turn at raising his voice. "What is it with everybody wanting to say that about the Fire Nation? Every time we travel, we always hear _something_ about the bad things people did!"

"I'm _not_ calling him evil," Tenzin calmly argued. "But I still wonder about things. Did he ever tell you how he got his scar?"

The twins traded glances again. "He told us it was a training accident," Kazu hummed. "He was dueling someone and got hurt."

Kimiye quirked an eyebrow. "'Accident'? Man, what _do_ they tell you guys? My dad says it _wasn't_ an accident. The former Fire Lord _gave_ him that scar and banished him!"

Tenzin shook his head, sighing. _Uncle Sokka's pretty blunt._

At her declaration, Ursa gasped, and Kazu stepped up to the older girl. "Don't mess with us, Kim. Dad wouldn't lie to us!"

"Well, _my_ dad wouldn't lie to me!" she growled.

"Guys!" Tenzin roared, stepping between them. "Don't fight!"

Both sides took a deep breath, but worry still defined the light in their eyes and the expressions of their faces. "I don't understand," Kazu muttered, "Who's right? I don't want to think our dad lies to us."

"I think maybe it was for something of a good reason," Tenzin offered. "_My_ dad told me recently what really happened to the Air Nomads, and he kept it a secret because he didn't want me to be sad about it. Or to be mad at the Fire Nation."

"Why?" Ursa blinked, laying a concerned hand on her friend's arm. "What'd the Fire Nation do?"

"More evil, like everyone _else_ says?" Kazu sneered.

"Well…" Tenzin sighed and closed his eyes, hoping that he wouldn't hurt his friends' feelings by letting them know. "They _began_ the war by killing off all the Air Nomads."

At that, Kazu gaped and let his arms fall to his sides. Ursa's lips pressed to a thin line and she shook her head in disbelief. "Well, we always knew the Fire Nation _started_ the war…" she began tentatively.

"We just didn't know how," Kazu finished, sighing. "Okay, so what does Dad have to do with that, though?"

Tenzin gripped the sides of his head. "I don't know. All I know is that they're keeping something _else_ from us, and I wanna know what."

Kimiye sighed. "Ten, you think too much. Can't you ever just _stop_ thinking and let things go? The grown-ups sometimes have to keep things from us so we don't have to worry about it like that."

The Airbender's face scrunched in determination, and he started out of the door of the wing towards the wide corridor that led to the throne room. "You guys can do what you want," he said. "But _I_ wanna know."

His two friends and cousin stared after him, wondering between them what to do. They all knew how stubborn Tenzin tended to be, how inquisitive, and how far he was willing to go for answers. He has often proven a very intimidating mix of his mother's _and_ father's traits.

"…I wanna know too," Ursa finally decided, starting after her friend. "I'd at least like to know why Dad keeps it from us."

Kazu followed after, still holding his arms crossed. "I _still_ think he wouldn't lie," he muttered.

As for Kimiye, she only paused a moment before trailing along behind. _These kids are too much._ "Guys, wait up!"

* * *

The throne room was engulfed in a flurry of quiet activity, mostly concentrated by the adults speaking at the long table in front of the dais that supported the Fire Lord's seat of command. A short meeting that only consisted of a status report on world matters had ended, leaving just Sokka, Aang, and Zuko there to laugh and reminisce.

Katara, Suki, and Mai were nearby at the table's other end, keeping watch as their youngest children tumbled about the polished floor. Aza, the three-year-old daughter of the Fire Lord and Lady, had made quick friends with the two-year-old triplets that belonged to the Avatar and his beloved: Khandro, Tamoka, and Kya. Every so often the parents all traded warm glances; happy knowing that the newest generation of their kids felt the connections of friendship easily between them.

"Well of course, it's Kazu's birthright by tradition," Zuko said, on the subject of choosing his heirs for the throne someday (a tricky business with twins). "But I can easily see Ursa being of help, and maybe taking over, if something happens. I'd want them all, even Aza, to participate in helping to rule a Nation."

"I don't see why not," Aang agreed with a slight shrug of one shoulder. "'Course this is probably just me, coming from the Air Nomads' way of things, but there's no reason to believe a woman can't rule as efficiently as a man. The nuns of the Western and Eastern Air Temples kept everything in order as well as the monks did."

"Well, that's _your_ society, Aang," Sokka pointed out. "In the Water Tribe, men are _always_ the leaders."

"And yet, when Dad was gone, you still shrank when Gran-Gran so much as looked at you funny," Katara shot at him with a laugh.

"Well…she was old!" he snorted. "Men know how to respect the elderly, too. So there."

Zuko chuckled. "Well at any rate, Aang, I'll take your word for it." He sighed. "Though the idea of choosing a female heir is still weird, considering my father started it with Azula just as another way to manipulate her. I suppose the future's brighter now, though."

"Speaking of Azula, how is she now?" Aang inquired out of curiosity, earning a few quiet scoffs from both Sokka and Katara nearby…even after so long, some deeds are hardly forgotten. The others were quiet, their reactions kept to themselves.

Zuko, however, answered with a short smile. "She's much better now. The treatments worked well, and she's been pretty stable for a long time when it comes to her temper. She still rarely leaves her room, and she still zones out a lot…but, she's got a strong will to just live while she can. It's like the sister I knew she used to be has been brought out again. And she loves the kids…I think maybe they're a fresh start for her, to have people that trust her and bring out her own trust in close family again."

"That's good to hear," Aang hummed. "It's never too late for a second chance."

"Far too soon for forgiveness," Katara could be heard muttering under her breath, but nobody pressed her. The Avatar more than anyone knew how deeply his wife's scars went. To her, Azula would always just be the one who nearly killed the one she loved on many occasions, and _did_ on one.

It was about then that the short quiet was interrupted by the sound of several footsteps on the polished floor, and the crimson curtains marking the entrance to the throne room flew open to admit the older group of children, led on by Kimiye and Tenzin.

Their mothers greeted them quickly while making sure the younger ones were in sight…but Aang regarded each of them with curiosity. His son had a familiar intense, pensive look in his eyes, and it was mirrored in the others.

Zuko seemed to have not noticed, and nor did Sokka, for they smiled all the same. "Hey, welcome back, guys," the Water Tribe warrior waved. "Who won the game this time?"

"Tenzin," Ursa, Kazu, and Kimiye all stated at once while the novice Airbender just rolled his eyes upward. "The kid needs to wear rocks on his feet next time," Kimiye continued, eliciting a light snort from her father and a short grin from Aang.

"Well, glad you guys had fun," Zuko chuckled. "I know I got lost a few times playing hide-and-seek around here."

"Oh, Dad, that reminds me," Kimiye started as she walked up to him and crossed her arms. "Kazu and Ursa and I have a bit of a disagreement that you can help with."

"Really?" Sokka grinned. "Well, ask away! You know I'm pretty good at settling things."

"Oh, right," Aang muttered, coaxing a snort out of Zuko.

She nodded and, once his attention was gained, gestured to the twins. "Tell them that Fire Lord Zuko didn't get his scar by accident."

The room fell dead silent.

Everyone, even the mothers as they held their curious youngsters between them, was staring between Kimiye and Sokka and back again. Aang shot a glance toward Tenzin, who stood with his arms crossed, and the twins; Ursa looking almost sheepish with her hands twisting up in the cloth of her shirt, yet still interested, and Kazu watching his father expectantly with the exact same intense, golden eyes that he had inherited.

"…Well?" the warrior's daughter said, breaking the silence once again and seeming unfazed by the suddenness of it. "Tell 'em I'm not lying, Dad!"

"Er…well, now, Kim, wait a minute, um…I…" Sokka stammered, unable to find his words as the others watched him with narrowed eyes. His head shook rapidly, and he stood from his seat. "Oh, come on! I never agreed to keep all the history a secret like you guys did!"

"Sokka!" Katara hissed, as the others gasped or groaned into their hands.

"I knew it," Tenzin said, so evenly and calmly that everyone could still feel the seriousness flowing from him.

Kazu looked betrayed and struck dumb, his arms falling to his sides. "You lied to us, Dad?"

The Fire Lord fidgeted in his seat, touching his forehead in frustration as his good eye flickered away from his children. "Kazu, please, let me explain…"

But he spoke too late, for he had long rushed from the room, the curtains billowing slightly from where he'd ran, Mai starting up and calling after him. Ursa stayed behind, her hand on her mouth in worry and uncertain of what to do.

Zuko's face squinted, and he refused to open his eyes. "Oh, great…"

"Yep, I thought so," Kimiye snorted, the only one in the room looking smug at the whole thing.

"Not another word, young lady," Suki said, her face stern as she took her blinking daughter by the hand. "We should have a talk with you. Sokka, you too. Now."

"Wha…uh…" the stymied husband continued to blabber, until all he could do was to face his remaining friends and sister with a nervous laugh. "I guess I oughta…um…get out of here now."

"It's okay, Sokka," Aang dismissed with a comforting smile, for he knew this was as close as his brother-in-law was going to get to apologizing. "We'll see you later."

With that, the Water Tribe swordsman left as quickly as he could possibly follow his wife and daughter, leaving only Aang, Katara, and Zuko with the remaining children.

Katara sighed. "Sokka's blunt nature, Suki's attitude…I always said Kimiye was a dangerous mix," she joked weakly.

Only Aang spared a short chuckle before he looked toward his waiting son. "Tenzin…did you have something to do with all this?"

The boy bit his lip and took a long, deep breath. "Yeah, sorta. But, I swear, I didn't mean to make anyone mad…"

"It's okay," Aang interrupted softly. "I believe you. But we need to discuss a few things, so could you watch the triplets for a bit?"

The boy nodded wordlessly, glad to have a moment of distraction in the tense atmosphere. Ursa offered to help, and together the children kept each other company while Katara and Aang sat on either side of their friend, who had his head hidden in his palms.

"Zuko?" Aang tentatively began.

The older man sighed and lifted his gaze, looking between them. "Did I make a mistake, you guys? I don't want to keep anything from my kids, but…"

"No, you weren't wrong," Katara insisted, laying a hand on his shoulder. "We did the same thing. It seems a little silly in hindsight now, when back then we just wanted to protect them from the past."

"It was more like we were protecting ourselves from it," Aang agreed with a sigh. "You said you want Kazu to take the throne, your children to rule together…so they need to know what mistakes to never make. And to help make the future that much better."

"I know…" Zuko murmured, raising his fingers to the edge of the great burn scar across his face. The sensitive eyelid closed. "I just don't want them to think badly of me. I was on the wrong side before, did some horrible things, to both of you. I can't pretend to forget those three years of my banishment, even now."

"There are some things we can never forget, either," Aang pointed out. "That doesn't mean we have to keep letting them influence our decisions in such ways now. I had to tell Tenzin about what happened to the Air Nomads, and he understands. Now I imagine he, and your kids, just want to understand your side of the war."

"They're your family. They'll never hate you," Katara smiled. "They look up to you. You're a far better father than yours ever was."

"This is something they need to know, Zuko," Aang finished. "We'll all tell them."

The Fire Lord paused, the light flickering across his eye anew. No doubt, his friends thought, he was going over their words carefully and finding the truth in all of it. He remembered something that both he and Aang learned long ago: the shadows of the past can, and always will be, felt by the present. How the future rulers of the Fire Nation…the future of the Air Nomads…everyone's continuing legacy…however they took those shadows, it was the parents' job to guide them.

He took a deep breath and released it. "You're right." The three of them stood up and moved from the table. "Tenzin…Ursa."

The two oldest stood quickly and faced the three adults, who wore kind, uplifting smiles.

"We'd better find Kazu," said Zuko, his decision affirmed in his voice. "I've got a story for you guys."

* * *

And so, once everyone was gathered again, the Fire Lord relayed his entire history before the children. He didn't leave out his own deeds or Azula's, trying to make them understand why she'd needed such help for all that time after the war. The tale of his banishment, the Agni Kai between himself and Ozai, left them shuddering at the mere thought…as if they'd felt the heat of the flames themselves. The tale of when he finally joined the Avatar to bring the world at peace again left them with fond relief and admiration. Tenzin at last understood what his godfather was afraid to hide, and saw him in a new light when he thought of how much trouble he had to struggle through in his young life.

When he finished, the twins rushed to hug him; and Zuko was reminded of how strong the love of his family made him when it was well and truly real. It only made him vow again quietly to never be like his own father, and to make sure that his heirs would know how important they were to him.

As for Aang, who watched his son take in everything with newfound understanding, he saw what he always saw when he looked into his shining eyes; a brighter world for the future.

He felt Katara slip her hand into his. Her glance was loving and proud, mirroring his own, and all of them knew one thing in common.

Nothing was more fulfilling than parenthood.


End file.
